CONWAY, Ark. – The Central Arkansas softball team returns to the friendly confines of Farris Field for the final series of the 2021 campaign. The Bears welcome the Lamar Cardinals to Conway on a weekend in which UCA will recognize its seniors and 2021 graduates.
 
Earlier this week Kayla Beaver was named Southland Pitcher of the Week. She recorded three wins in the four games that UCA played during the week. She posted 10 strikeouts and walked only three. She held opponents to a .156 batting average and surrendered just seven hits. She threw a complete-game shutout in game two of the SLU series to earn her first win in the series. She picked up the win in game three of the series with 3.2 innings of relief in the extra-inning victory to secure the series sweep.
 
Beaver is currently tied for 25th in the nation with 17 wins in the circle, which is second in the SLC. She leads the conference with a 3.81 walk-to-strikeout ratio. Beaver has an ERA of 1.32, 17-6 record, and 132.2 innings pitched, all lead the team. She has tallied 99 strikeouts. Jordan Johnson is second on the team with a 2.21 ERA, 10-7 record, and 129.2 innings pitched. She leads the staff with 124 strikeouts and is holding opponents to a .203 batting average.
 
Jenna Wildeman leads the team and the NCAA with 51 stolen bases. She is tied for 11th nationally with 62 hits, which leads the team and the Southland. She also leads the team with a .411 batting average, which is second in the SLC. Mary Kate Brown is second on the squad with a .350 batting average and leads the team with 10 doubles. Kaylyn Shepherd leads the team with 34 RBIs and she has produced a team-high four sac flies. Cylla Hill leads the team with seven home runs and ranks second on the team with 33 RBIs. Tremere Harris is second on the team with 18 stolen bases.
 
Game one Friday will be the 22nd meeting between the two programs. The Bears hold a slight 11-10 series lead. In games played in Conway, UCA holds a 7-3 mark over Lamar. The Cardinals have won the last two meetings, including a 1-0 victory in Beaumont, Texas, on March 30, 2019. The Bears enter the series with an overall record of 31-17 and an 18-6 mark in the SLC, while the Cardinals come into the weekend with an 8-40 record and 4-20 record in SLC play.
 
Hannah Carpenter leads Lamar with a .338 batting average, is tied for the team lead with 14 RBIs, is tied for a team-best two home runs, and was just named an NSCA Strength and Conditioning All-American. Audry Fleming is tied for the team lead with two homers and is second on the squad with a .238 batting average. Shelby Mixon leads the pitching staff with 103.2 innings in the circle. Aaliyah Ruiz and Mixon have combined for six of the team's eight wins on the season.
 
First pitch of the doubleheader on Friday is scheduled for 4 p.m. Before Friday's game, Central Arkansas will recognize the student-athletes that will be graduating. Senior Day presented by Tipton & Hurst will be before Saturday's 1 p.m. contest. Live stats for all three games can be found here.
 
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