CONWAY, Ark. – The Central Arkansas softball team played its first games at home in Southland Conference play as the Bears welcomed the Sam Houston Bearkats to Farris Field on Friday. UCA dominated the first game, 11-1, before it won the second game, 1-0. The Bears improved to 18-10 overall and 6-2 in the Southland, while the Bearkats fell to 7-16 overall and 4-4 in SLC play.
 
Game One – UCA 11, Sam Houston 1
 
Both starting pitchers went three up, three down to start the game.
 
In the bottom of the second, Jaylee Engelkes led off with a double to right center. Cylla Hill reached on an error and advanced Engelkes to third. Reagan Sperling followed with a double to right center, which scored Engelkes and allowed Hill to move to third. Erin Blackburn drove in two runs with a double down the left field line. The Bears took a 3-0 lead into the third.
 
The Bearkats scored a run on a single off of the bat of Megan McDonald.
 
Mary Kate Brown led off the home half of the third with a single to left field. After Kaylyn Shepherd was hit by a pitch, Engelkes drew a walk to load the bases. Hill singled through the left side and plated Brown from third. Sperling reach on a fielder's choice as Shepherd was thrown out at home by the third baseman. Tylar Vernon was hit by a pitch and scored Engelkes from third. Kristen Whitehouse followed with a single through the left side that scored Hill and Brown. Blackburn picked up two more RBIs as she singled to center and put the Bears up 9-1. After Blackburn advanced on a ground out, Brown doubled off of the left center field wall and drove in Blackburn. Shepherd drew a four-pitch walk. Engelkes reached on an error by the second baseman and Brown scored on the same error. UCA gained an 11-1 lead after the eight-run inning and that ended up being the final score.
 
Brown, Whitehouse, and Blackburn led the Bears as each of them went 2-for-3 at the plate. Brown, Engelkes, Hill, and Sperling all scored twice. Blackburn produced a game-high four RBIs.
 
Kayla Beaver recorded another solid start in the circle for UCA as she threw her 10th complete game of the season. She improved to 9-3 on the season as she gave up just one run on five hits and struck out one.
 
Regan Dunn picked up the loss and fell to 4-4 on the year. She went 2.1 innings with four strikeouts and eight runs, six earned. Christine Billmeier went 1.2 innings in relief and gave up three runs, two of which were earned.
 
McDonald had the Bearkats lone RBI as Hannah Sheaffer scored the only run.
 
Game Two – UCA 1, Sam Houston 0
 
The second game was the complete opposite from the first, it was a pitchers' duel.
 
Hill produced the game's first hit with a lead-off single in the bottom of the second, but was unable to advance.
 
Jenna Wildeman singled in the bottom of the third and stole two bases, but could not score.
 
The Bearkats notched their only hit of the game on a single by Kylie Hobbs in the top of the fourth.
 
UCA picked up its third hit of the game on a Whitehouse single in the home half of the fifth.
 
With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Hill produced the game's only run on a solo home run over the left field wall.
 
In the top of the seventh, Jordan Johnson continued to be dominant as she struck out the side to give UCA the 1-0 victory.
 
Hill led the offense with her fifth home run of the season and accounted for two of the team's four hits in the game. Wildeman and Whitehouse had UCA's other two hits.
 
Johnson threw her sixth complete game and her fifth shutout on the year with her one-hitter. She tallied nine strikeouts with no walks as she improved to 5-4 on the year.
 
Mika Vento got the loss and fell to 3-3 on the year behind a complete-game effort. She struck out four, walked one, and gave up just one earned run.
 
The Bears return to the diamond on Saturday, March 27, for the final game of the series against the Bearkats. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. Live stats can be found here and video can be found here.
 
From the Coach – Head Coach David Kuhn
"We played well for both games. The second game was outstanding as both Mika Vento and Jordan Johnson threw well. We stranded several runners on base, but you can tip your hat to their pitcher for keeping us at bay. Thank goodness Cylla Hill came up with a big swing."

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