HAMMOND, La. – The Central Arkansas softball team returned to the field for a doubleheader in a crucial battle for second place in the Southland Conference on Friday at North Oak Park. The Bears improved to 30-17 overall and 17-6 in the SLC, while the Lady Lions fell to 26-18 overall and 13-7 in conference play.  
 
Game One – UCA 6, SLU 0
 
In the first inning, both the Bears and Lady Lions sent three batters to the plate and all three were retired.
 
With two outs in the top of the second, Tremere Harris placed a perfect bunt down the third base line. Harris recorded a single and was able to motor all the way home after the third baseman made a throwing error. The Bears held a 1-0 lead as the game went to the bottom of the second.
 
Aeriyl Mass notched a double to deep center with two outs in the bottom of the third. Jordan Johnson was unfazed and got out of the inning unscathed.
 
Kaylyn Shepherd singled to short to lead off the top of the fourth for the Bears. Cylla Hill followed with a double in the right center field gap to give UCA runners on second and third with no outs. UCA stranded the runners.
 
Shepherd led off the top of the sixth with a single down the right field line. Megan Crownover pinch ran for Shepherd. Hill followed with a single to right center. Morgan Nelson flew out to left field, but moved Crownover and Hill up to third and second, respectively. Harris singled to left field and drove in Crownover. Harris then stole second. Erin Blackburn doubled to right center and drove in Hill and Harris. UCA took a 4-0 lead into the seventh.
 
Wildeman singled to lead off the top of the seventh and then stole second. Mary Kate Brown dropped down a bunt single down the third base line to give the Bears runners on the corners. Shepherd singled to right field and scored Wildeman. Brown, who moved up on the Shepherd single, scored on a sac fly by Hill.
 
The Lady Lions got a lead-off double in the bottom of the seventh, but Johnson got out of the inning without surrendering a run.
 
Johnson improved to 10-7 with a complete-game shutout. She struck out six batters and scattered four hits.
 
Shepherd led the UCA attack with a 3-for-4 game with an RBI. Hill finished game one with a 2-for-3 performance with an RBI and a run scored. Harris scored twice and added an RBI with a 2-for-3 game.
 
Mass led SLU with a 2-for-3 game at the plate. Heather Zumo fell to 15-4 on the season with a complete-game effort. She struck out five UCA batters and gave up six runs, five earned, on 12 hits.
 
Game Two – UCA 5, SLU 0
 
Wildeman started game two off with a bunt single to third base and then stole second and third. Brown drew a walk and gave the Bears runners on the corners with no outs. Brown then stole second and moved into scoring position. Shepherd singled down the right field line and drove in Wildeman and Brown. Hill singled to first base. Nelson reached on a fielder's choice to give the Bears runners on the corners and Hill was out at second. Nelson stole second. Kristen Whitehouse reached on a fielding error by the right fielder that allowed Nelson and Shepherd to score. The Bears held a 4-0 lead as the game went to the bottom of the first.
 
UCA loaded the bases in the top of the third inning, but were unable to capitalize and add to the lead.
 
Wildeman led off the top of the fourth with a bunt single and a stolen base. With two outs, Hill singled up the middle and drove in Wildeman.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, the Lady Lions managed to load the bases, but Kayla Beaver was resilient and got out of the inning unscathed.
 
The Bears threatened in the top of the fifth, but stranded two more runners. UCA won game two 5-0.
 
Wildeman tied the UCA single-game stolen base record with four stolen bases. She also finished the game with a 3-for-4 performance and scored twice. Hill posted a 2-for-3 game. Shepherd led the squad with two RBIs.
 
Beaver improved to 16-6 on the year with her 16th complete game. She recorded six strikeouts and scattered five hits.
 
Sophie Hannabas fell to 2-5 on the season with the loss. She went 3.2 innings with three strikeouts and gave up five runs, three earned. MC Comeaux added 3.1 innings in relief with five strikeouts on two hits. Mass led the Lady Lions with another 2-for-3 game.
 
UCA and SLU face off in the third game on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for noon.
 
From the Coach – Head Coach David Kuhn
"We had two great pitching performances by Kayla and Jordan. We played outstanding defense. We had timely hitting which was key to both victories. We had two good wins against an outstanding SLU team."

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