CONWAY, Ark. – Hosting conference games for the first time in the ASUN era, the Bears picked up a pair of wins in their doubleheader against Kennesaw State on Saturday. After taking the first game of the series 9-1, the offense continued into the second game as Central Arkansas won 8-2.
 
Game One: Central Arkansas – 9, Kennesaw State – 1
Gam one of the series started out as a defensive battle, as both sides struggled to move batters in the first couple of innings. Kennesaw State would strike first in the third, capitalizing with runners in scoring position and bringing one home on a sacrifice fly.
 
The Bears answered in the home half of the frame, though, starting with a Jenna Wildeman walk. After getting moved to third by the next pair of batters, Jaylee Engelkes sent her home with a single to right field, tying the game at one run apiece.
 
Just an inning later, the floodgates opened for Central Arkansas as the team strung together nine at bats to score four in the frame. The Bears took advantage of two errors in the inning, using the first to get Tylar Vernon on base, who was promptly scored by Reagan Sperling. Lexi McClellan reached on the second error of the inning, helping the Bears score again a few at bats later on a bases loaded walk from Tremere Harris. Mary Kate Brown drove in McClellan on the next at bat, followed by Engelkes scoring Wildeman for the second time in the game to make it 5-1 in the fourth.
 
Central Arkansas continued to add to the lead in the fifth, loading the bases after reaching on an error, a walk and a single. Harris doubled to left center scoring three runs, before scampering to third on the throw home. From there, Brown hit the walk-off single to put game one in the books after five innings.
 
Kayla Beaver earned her 11^th win of the season, striking out seven batters and allowing just the one run.
 
Game Two: Central Arkansas – 8, Kennesaw State – 2
The Bears opened the scoring in game two, as Jenna Wildeman got aboard with a leadoff single. After stealing second, Tremere Harris and Mary Kate Brown each advanced her a base, with Brown getting the RBI as Wildeman crossed home.
 
Kennesaw State took the lead in the third, getting a baserunner on first after a fielding error. With the next at bat, Taylor Cates sent one over the fence, scoring two runs and taking a brief 2-1 lead over the Bears.
 
Jaylee Engelkes answered one moon shot with one of her own, connecting on a pitch and sending it way out there in the fourth inning, tying the game at 2-2. Harris drove in two more runs in the fifth inning, giving Central Arkansas the lead again, putting Lexi McClellan and Wildeman through home plate to make it 4-2. Engelkes would drive in the fifth run for the Bears, plating Harris.
 
The lead continued to grow in the sixth with the Bears taking bases on wild pitches. Back-to-back pitching miscues allowed Tylar Vernon and Reagan Sperling to beat the catcher back to the plate as both scored on wild pitches. Engelkes finalized the score with an RBI single to left center, bringing Harris home again.
 
Jordan Johnson earned the win in the circle, striking out five batters in six innings of work, giving up just the two-run homer to the Owls.
 
The Bears look to finish the sweep against Kennesaw State on Sunday, playing the series finale at noon at Farris Field.