CONWAY, Ark. – The Central Arkansas softball team returned to Farris Field for a Southland Conference doubleheader on Saturday against Nicholls. The Bears won both games and improved to 24-12 overall and 12-2 in the conference, while the Colonels fell to 8-19 and 1-13 in SLC play.
 
Game One – UCA 14, Nicholls 2
 
Mary Kate Brown singled through the right side with one out in the bottom of the first. She then stole second. Kaylyn Shepherd and Jaylee Engelkes recorded back-to-back walks to load the bases. Cylla Hill drove in Brown on a sac fly to left field and gave UCA a 1-0 lead after one inning.
 
Kristen Whitehouse reached on an error by the shortstop. Reagan Sperling struck out, but reached on an error by the catcher to give the Bears runners on the corners with no outs. Jenna Wildeman singled to the shortstop and drove in Whitehouse to extend the UCA lead. After Wildeman stole second, Brown drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases. Shepherd was hit by a pitch and scored Sperling. Engelkes drew a walk with bases loaded and extended the lead to 4-0. Hill singled up the middle and scored Brown. After a pitching change, Lexi McClellan pinch hit and reached on an error by the left fielder, which scored two more runs for the Bears. UCA took a 7-0 lead into the third inning.
 
In the bottom of the third, Brown launched a one-out homer over the center field wall. Shepherd drew a four-pitch walk. Megan Crownover pinch ran for Shepherd and stole second. Hill then walked. McClellan followed with an inside the park home run off the center field wall and put UCA on top 11-0.
 
Gabbi Scott drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the fourth. Morgan Nelson doubled to left and advanced to third as Nicholls tried to throw Scott out at the plate, but was unsuccessful. Shepherd followed with a double to right field to drive in Nelson. Katelyn McMahan reached on an error by the first baseman which allowed Shepherd to score and extend the UCA lead to 14-0.
 
The Colonels got their first run in the top of the fifth on a wild pitch. The second run was scored on a wild pitch as well, but the Bears enforced the run rule and won the game 14-2.
 
Jordan Johnson threw her ninth complete game and improved to 8-4 on the season. She recorded seven strikeouts and gave up two earned runs.
 
Brown and McClellan each recorded a home run for UCA. Brown led the team with a 2-for-2 performance with three runs scored. Shepherd finished the game 1-for-1 with two walks and two runs scored. McClellan led the way with three RBIs.
 
Emily Danehower got the loss for Nicholls as she went 1.1 innings and gave up seven runs, three earned, with four walks and one strikeout. Taryn Westbrook went 2.2 innings in relief and gave up seven runs, six earned, on four walks and three strikeouts. Ashlyn Reavis led the Colonels at the plate with a 2-for-2 game and a walk.
 
Game Two – UCA 2, Nicholls 0
 
Brown recorded a one-out double to center field and advanced to third on a throwing error by the center fielder. Shepherd followed with a deep fly ball to right field and notched a sac fly as Brown was able to score from third.
 
In the top of the fifth inning, Kayla Beaver struck out the side on 11 pitches.
 
Tremere Harris led off the bottom of the sixth with a single down the left field line and then stole second. Whitehouse reached on an error as she dropped down a sac bunt and Harris scored on the error for UCA's second run.
 
Beaver sat the Colonels down in order for the final two innings and secured the 2-0 win for the Bears.
 
Beaver threw a complete game, her 13th on the year, with six strikeouts and zero walks. She surrendered just three hits and improved to 12-5 on the season. Offensively, Harris led the Bears in game two with a 2-for-3 performance and scored a run. Shepherd produced the game's only RBI.
 
Jordan Moon threw a complete game in a losing effort with four strikeouts, two unearned runs, and two walks. She fell to 1-5 on the season. Reavis led Nicholls at the plate with a 2-for-3 game.
 
UCA returns to the diamond on Sunday, April 11, for the final game of the three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
 
From the Coach – Head Coach David Kuhn
"It was a nice sweep today for the Bears! Jordan Johnson threw outstanding along with Kayla Beaver. We did a good job in the first game getting runners on base and scoring them! In the second game, their pitcher did a good job of keeping us off balance and we had to work really hard to scratch two runs."

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