JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Seeking redemption from the morning's loss, the Central Arkansas softball team lived to fight another day after winning a 7-3 decision over North Alabama in the night cap. After trading the lead through the early innings, the Bears regained control in the fourth and never looked back.
 
Contributions came up and down the lineup for the Bears (34-19, 17-7 ASUN), as six of the nine players in the lineup recorded hits, with Tremere Harris going 3-for-4 on the night and thrice crossing home plate. Harris and Jenna Wildeman were the beneficiaries of some terrific hitting behind them, as the duo were responsible for five of the seven runs on the day. Behind the plate, Tylar Vernon played another great defensive game, holding runners in check and keeping the Lions from adding to their 57 stolen bases.
 
After Jordan Johnson started the game with a pair of swinging strikeouts, the Bears went right to work at the plate. Wildeman opened the game with a walk and her 97^th career stolen base, Harris beat out an infield single and stole second herself. With the next at bat, Mary Kate Brown drove in her 52^nd and 53^rd RBI with a single right down main street, opening the scoring in favor of Central Arkansas.
 
The Lions answered in the second inning, piecing together a string of at bats to load the bases with one out in the top half of the inning. With the fifth at bat of the inning, the batter tagged one into right center to bring in two runs and tie the game. North Alabama took the lead on the next at bat with a sacrifice fly to left field.
 
North Alabama's lead lasted all of an inning and a half, as the Bears wasted little time getting back in the saddle and putting runners on base. Harris added another single to her ledger, and Brown reached on a fielder's choice, putting runners at first and second with just one out. After the duo got moved into scoring position, Morgan Nelson came in and tattooed a pitch way out beyond left center, putting a 5-3 lead back into Central Arkansas' hands.
 
Not quite finished there, the Bears continued to add insurance runs in the fourth inning. Vernon and Wildeman reached base to start the inning, Vernon getting thrown out on a fielder's choice at third. A couple of batters later, Jaylee Engelkes rocked a two-RBI single through the right side to bump the lead to 7-3 and put the game effectively out of reach.
 
Kayla Beaver came in with two outs in the fifth inning, and provided effective relief the rest of the way and shut down any chance at a Lions comeback. Tossing 2.1 innings of work, Beaver only needed 19 pitches to force seven outs to ice the game.
 
With the win, the Bears advance to the next day of games, facing off against Kennesaw State at 3 p.m. on Friday. Having played a conference series against the Owls earlier in the year, the Bears swept the home set, outscoring Kennesaw State 26-4 over the three games.