CONWAY, Ark. – Another big offensive game by the Central Arkansas softball team, capped by a walk-off grand slam by
Morgan Nelson, lifted the Bears to a 12-2 win over the Lipscomb Bisons. With the game three win, Central Arkansas won its fourth ASUN series after taking two against Lipscomb.
Including the walk-off, Nelson batted 3-for-4 on the day, scoring a pair of runs and putting home 6 RBI.
Jenna Wildeman and
Tremere Harris each stole three bases and
Reagan Sperling added her second home run of the season.
The Bears (27-16, 12-6 ASUN) began the morning with a graduation ceremony, celebrating the academic accomplishments of those receiving their degrees after the season. Once the emotions of the ceremony settled, Central Arkansas started the scoring in the third inning, as Wildeman and Harris got on base and stole their way into scoring position. From there,
Mary Kate Brown and
Jaylee Engelkes drove in the duo on back-to-back at bats to open the scoring. After Lipscomb changed pitchers, Nelson drove in Engelkes to make it 3-0 after three.
Lipscomb put a run on the board in the fourth inning, cutting into the lead, but the Bisons offense was largely held in check all weekend. Sperling answered in the home half of the fourth, driving one deep past the fence in left field. Later in the inning, Brown again helped a teammate score, driving in Wildeman to make it a five-run lead.
The runs kept coming in the fifth inning, as Nelson hit her first home run of the game, a solo shot to left center. A few batters later, with a pair of runners on,
Tylar Vernon hit a sacrifice fly to bring in a pinch-hitting
Erin Blackburn.
Harris opened the sixth inning with a single, stealing second base to put herself in scoring position with no outs. Back-to-back walks for Brown and Engelkes loaded the bases, setting up Nelson's grand slam.
Kayla Beaver tossed the complete game, throwing six innings in her 16
th win of the season. With the win, she moves into second in the ASUN for wins this season.
Up next for the Bears is a rematch with the Arkansas Razorbacks on Tuesday.
