CONWAY, Ark. – The Bears (21-15, 6-5 ASUN) took both games of their doubleheader against Bellarmine (10-28, 1-10 ASUN), earning a pair of wins behind a 5-2 game one and a 3-0 shutout in game two. Central Arkansas hit 20 wins for the 12^th time in 13 years, with the lone season being the shutdown season of 2020.
 
Both pitchers picked up wins on Saturday, with Kayla Beaver picking up her 13^th win of the season and Jordan Johnson tossing a 12-strikeout shutout. Kristen Whitehouse and Morgan Nelson each hit home runs, Whitehouse clubbing one in the first game and Nelson hitting hers in game two.
 
Game One: Central Arkansas – 5, Bellarmine – 2
Bellarmine struck first in game one, scoring on a sacrifice fly in the second inning to claim an early lead. The Bears responded in a big way in the bottom of the third inning, scoring four runs in the bottom half of the frame.
 
Tremere Harris got on base with a one-out single, stealing second before Mary Kate Brown got walked. Jaylee Engelkes was also walked, loading the bases with one out. After the Knights changed pitchers, Kylie Griffin started down a two-strike at bat and shot a single down the left field line, scoring Harris and Brown to give the Bears a 2-1 lead. A couple of batters later, Reagan Sperling hit one off the wall in left center to bring Engelkes and Griffin home to stretch the lead to three runs.
 
Bellarmine threatened in the fourth, putting runners on the corners with one out. The runner from first attempted to steal second, but was gunned down by Tylar Vernon. Beaver got the next batter to chase a strike three, ending the inning and stranding the runner at third base.
 
Whitehouse added to the lead with her solo home run in the sixth inning, rocking one to left center on the first pitch. Bellarmine scored another run in the top of the seventh, but it was too little, too late to attempt a comeback, notching the 20^th win of the season for the Bears.
 
Game Two: Central Arkansas – 3, Bellarmine – 0
Jordan Johnson came out dealing, striking out five batters in the first three innings, keeping the Knights guessing all afternoon. At the plate, the Bears scored in the third inning, earning back-to-back walks with one out to bring Jaylee Engelkes to the plate. Getting a piece of one, she singled up the middle to score the opening run of the game. A batter later, Kristen Whitehouse did the same thing, hitting a single to score Mary Kate Brown and make it 2-0 for the home team.
 
Bellarmine struggled to get runners on base, recording only three hits in the entire game, and failed to get a runner on from the fourth through the sixth innings, as Johnson and the defense continued to mow down the lineup three at a time.
 
Morgan Nelson added one to the lead in the sixth inning, crushing one straight down straightaway beyond center field, putting just a little more distance between the Bears and Knights.
 
Johnson struck out 12 in the game for her fourth game of the season with 10-plus strikeouts. Her 12^th and final strikeout of the game put her at 300 career Ks, making her one of just five pitchers at Central Arkansas to reach the 300 mark.
 
Central Arkansas will look to complete the sweep over the Knights on Sunday, taking on Bellarmine again at noon at Farris Field.