CONWAY, Ark. – The Central Arkansas softball team returned to Farris Field for the first day of the Adam Brown Memorial Shamrock Classic on Friday. The Bears defeated MVSU (0-5) and UAPB (0-5) 10-0 and 10-1, respectively, to improve to 9-7 on the season.
 
Jordan Johnson got the win in game one and picked up her first collegiate perfect game. Kayla Beaver threw another complete game in game two of the day. As a squad, the UCA offense combined for 17 hits on the day.
 
Game One UCA 10, MVSU 0
 
Mary Kate Brown reached on a catcher's interference with one out in the bottom of the first and then she stole second. Kaylyn Shepherd drew a walk on a nine-pitch at bat. Cylla Hill singled up the middle and advanced to second as the center fielder tried to throw out Brown at home. Brown was safe and gave UCA the first run of the game. Reagan Sperling doubled down the right field line and scored Shepherd and Hill. Lexi McClellan tripled down the right field line and scored Sperling from second. The Bears took a 4-0 lead into the second.
 
Johnson, who got the start in the circle for UCA, recorded four strikeouts in the first two innings.
 
In the bottom of the second, Jenna Wildeman recorded an infield single to third and then stole second. Brown doubled to right center and scored Wildeman from second. UCA extended its lead to 5-0 after two innings.
 
Johnson continued to roll in the top of the third as she struck out the side. In the top of the fourth she added two more strikeouts.
 
The Bears earned their first run in the bottom of the fourth with a first and third double steal by Wildeman and Tremere Harris, which allowed Harris to score from third. Megan Crownover notched two RBIs on a single and scored Wildeman and Lindsey Williams. Erin Acors added an RBI single through the right side, which scored Crownover. Jaylee Engelkes produced the walk-off with her ground out to the pitcher, which scored Gabbi Scott from third and enacted the run rule.
 
Johnson earned the win with her perfect game and improved to 2-3 on the year. She tallied a career-high 11 strikeouts. Offensively, eight different Bears notched hits. Crownover and Sperling led the way with two RBIs each. Wildeman had a game-high two runs scored.
 
Daisy Page picked up the loss in two innings of work and struck out three UCA batters. She fell to 0-3 on the season. Mercedes Silva added two innings in the circle for MVSU and added two strikeouts.
 
Game Two UCA 10, UAPB 1
 
Beaver got the start in game two for the Bears and went three up, three down in the top of the first.
 
Wildeman started the home half of the first with a bunt single and a stolen base. Brown followed with a walk. Shepherd reached on a catcher's interference and loaded the bases for UCA. Hill doubled to left center and drove in two runs. Sperling walked on four pitches to load the bases for the Bears. Emily Sampson cleared the bases with a double to left center and extended the UCA lead to 5-0 after one inning.
 
Beaver added another perfect inning in the top of the second and improved her strikeouts to three in the game.
 
Wildeman doubled up the middle as the shortstop for UAPB tried to make a diving stop but the ball bounced off of her glove and trickled away, which allowed Wildeman to reach second safely. Shepherd lined one down the right field line for an RBI triple. The Bears held a 6-0 lead after two innings.
 
After Beaver added two more strikeouts in the top of the third, the Bears added a run in the home half of the frame. McClellan drew a one-out walk. Kristen Whitehouse singled to left field and put runners on the corners with two outs. Harris drove in McClellan on an RBI single in the infield. UCA was on top 7-0 after three innings.
 
Acors led the bottom of the fourth off with a walk. Williams followed with a single to the shortstop. Scott doubled down the left field line and drove in Acors from second. Crownover picked up an RBI on a sac fly to right field. After an Engelkes walk, Katelyn McMahan recorded a sac fly to right field and put the Bears up 10-0 after four innings.
 
After an error allowed the Lady Lions to get their first base runner of the game, Paola Rodriguez picked up the first hit of the game. UAPB got on the board with a first and third delayed steal attempt as an error was committed by UCA and allowed the runner to score from third.  The Lady Lions were unable to add any more runs and the run rule came into effect as the Bears won 10-1.
 
Beaver improved to 4-2 on the year with her complete-game effort. She gave up one unearned run and struck out seven batters. Wildeman led UCA with a 2-for-2 performance at the plate and scored two runs.
 
Shakeidria Hubbard went four innings with three strikeouts. She picked up the loss and fell to 0-2 on the year.
 
The Bears return to action Saturday at 10 a.m. with another contest with UAPB. UCA will close out the tournament with a game against Western Michigan at 12:15 p.m.
 
From the Coach – Head Coach David Kuhn
"We had great starting pitching today. Jordan Johnson and Kayla Beaver threw really well. Offensively, we had a lot of timely hits and we played solid defense. It was a really good night to see so many kids get in the game and see so many ladies get some big hits."

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