Bears Fall in Heartbreaker to Bulldogs
 
STARKVILLE, Miss. – The Central Arkansas softball team was back on the diamond for the second-straight day against an SEC opponent as the Bears faced the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Nusz Park on Wednesday. Jaylee Engelkes led the team with a 2-for-4 day at the plate. UCA fell to 22-12 overall, while MSU improved to 19-15 with the 4-3 win.
 
Tylar Vernon got hit by a pitch with one out in the top of the third. Jenna Wildeman reached on a fielder's choice and then stole second to give UCA a runner in scoring position with two outs. Mary Kate Brown singled to center field and scored Wildeman from second to give the Bears a 1-0 lead.
 
Mississippi State loaded the bases in the bottom of the third, but Jordan Johnson got out of the inning unscathed.
 
In the top of the fourth, Engelkes led the inning off with a solo home run to straight away center and extended the UCA lead to 2-0.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Mia Davidson and Fa Leilua hit back-to-back home runs to tie the game at 2-2.
 
Wildeman recorded an infield single with two outs in the top of the seventh. She then stole second to move into scoring position. Brown drew a walk on five pitches to give the Bears runners on first and second with two outs. Kaylyn Shepherd lined a ball to right field and allowed Wildeman to score from second as UCA took a 3-2 lead.
 
The Bulldogs tied the game in the bottom of the seventh with a single to center field by Carter Spexarth. Mississippi State scored the game-winning run on a throwing error by the UCA first baseman as she made an errant throw home trying to get the runner from third.
 
Engelkes finished with a 2-for-4 day at the plate to lead the Bears. She launched her third home run of the season. Wildeman led the team with two runs scored. Johnson got the start in the circle and went six innings pitched with four strikeouts and gave up two runs on four hits. Kayla Beaver picked up the loss with 0.1 innings of relief with one strikeout. She fell to 11-5 on the season.
 
Davidson led Mississippi State with a 2-for-4 day at the plate, with a solo homer. Leilua added the Bulldogs' other home run. Annie Willis moved to 11-4 in the circle. She threw a complete game with nine strikeouts.
 
UCA returns to the friendly confines of Farris Field on Friday, April 9, for a Southland Conference contest against Nicholls. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.
 
From the Coach – Head Coach David Kuhn
"We had a chance to win the game, but we made too many mistakes and it cost us. We need to put it behind us and focus on Nicholls this weekend."

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