NATCHITOCHES, La. – The Central Arkansas softball team extended its winning streak to eight games as the Bears took the first two games against the Northwestern State Lady Demons on Friday at Lady Demon Diamond. The Bears improved to 21-10 overall and 9-2 in the Southland, while the Lady Demons fell to 15-10 overall and 9-2 in SLC play.
UCA launched three home runs on the day and had outstanding pitching in both games which led to the two victories.
Game One – UCA 3, Northwestern State 1
Jenna Wildeman got the game started with a single to the shortstop and then stole second.
Mary Kate Brown put the Bears on the board with an RBI single to center field.
In the top of the second,
Kristen Whitehouse launched a solo home run over the left field wall to extend the UCA lead to 2-0 after two innings of play.
After a perfect inning in the bottom of the second by
Jordan Johnson, Wildeman singled to left field and then stole second. After a ground out to third advanced Wildeman to third,
Kaylyn Shepherd reached on a fielder's choice and scored Wildeman from third.
Northwestern State managed to get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh when Kaitlyn St. Clair hit a solo homer to left.
Johnson got the win and improved to 7-4 in the circle for the Bears with her complete-game effort. She recorded five strikeouts and surrendered just one earned run. Wildeman led UCA at the plate with a 2-for-4 performance in game one with two runs scored. Whitehouse belted her third home run on the season.
Emma Callie Delafield went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead Northwestern State in game one. St. Clair produced the only run for Northwestern State with a home run. Jensen Howell fell to 5-4 on the season with a complete game. She notched eight strikeouts and gave up three earned runs.
Game Two – UCA 4, Northwestern State 0
Brown drew a one-out walk in the top of the first to get things started for the Bears. With two outs and a runner on second,
Cylla Hill blasted her seventh home run on the season. She has homered in three of the last four games.
Kayla Beaver got the start in the circle for game two and started the game on fire with three strikeouts on 11 pitches.
The game turned into a pitchers' duel as neither team surrendered a run for the next four innings. That changed in the top of the sixth with Brown as she blasted her second home run on the season.
Whitehouse recorded a one-out double to right field in the top of the seventh.
Gabbi Scott came in and pinch ran for Whitehouse.
Tremere Harris singled and drove in Scott to give UCA a 4-0 lead after six and a half innings.
Kat Marshall doubled to left field with one out in the bottom of the seventh and put a runner in scoring position for Northwestern State. The Lady Demons managed to get a runner to third, but Beaver was able to get out of the inning unscathed and secured the shutout.
Hill posted a 2-for-3 game for the Bears with two RBIs. Brown led the team with two runs scored. Beaver improved to 10-3 on the season with her complete-game shutout. She struck out six batters with no walks and scattered just three hits.
Delafield picked up the loss and fell to 5-2 on the year. She tallied eight strikeouts with three walks and gave up four earned runs. She also produced one of the team's three hits. Marshall and Alexis Perry added the other two hits.
The Bears return to Lady Demon Diamond on Saturday for the final game of the series. First pitch is scheduled for noon and live stats can be found
here.
From the Coach – Head Coach David Kuhn
"It was a great day for the Bears! What outstanding performances in the circle by
Jordan Johnson and
Kayla Beaver! They continue to show up every day and give us great starting pitching. We played spectacular defense and had some timely hitting by
Cylla Hill again with another big bomb.
Mary Kate Brown added a big homer. It was an all-around good day for the Bears. Hats off to the coaching staff for putting another great game plan together."
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