CONWAY, Ark. – Playing for the first time on Farris Field, the Central Arkansas softball team opened the Michelle Short Memorial Classic with a walk-off win over Missouri State, picking up a 3-1 win against the Bears from Springfield.
The Bears (8-2) continued to build on their best start to a season, winning eight of their first 10 games for the first time in program history. Despite a lackluster day at the plate, Central Arkansas continued to fight and find a way, battling to the last at bat of the game before finding some magic in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Josie Willingham was the hero in the seventh, blasting a towering walk-off home run to secure the win.
Coming into the game on a team-wide slump, the struggles on offense continued throughout the early innings;
Morgan Nelson was the lone Bear to find a hit in the first time through for the lineup, connecting on a double in the second frame. But
Kayla Beaver and the Central Arkansas were equally tough on the Missouri State lineup, keeping the other Bears without a hit until the third inning, and giving up nothing for five innings.
Finally, in the sixth frame, the visitors found just enough to break the stalemate, leading off with a triple. A dropped third strike resulted in the runner being caught out of place and getting tagged out, but allowed the batter to reach first. A double to the right field wall gave the runner an avenue to sprint all the way home, scoring the first run of the game.
The chances were waning on the Bears, who went three up and three down in the home half of the sixth, but again, the defense held firm in the top of the seventh.
Down to the final three outs, the Bears decided to pinch hit
Morgan Curley, who stayed poised and drew a walk. One out later,
Jaylee Engelkes walked for the fourth time this season, putting runners on first and second with two outs remaining to make something happen. Enter Willingham, who strode to the plate 0-for-2 on the day, with her first chance to make magic in Purple and Gray. Seeing the first pitch come in, Willingham honed in and detonated, winning the game on a first-pitch rocket to left field.
With the opening win of the Michelle Short Memorial Classic, Central Arkansas will play three more games over the weekend. Next up for the Bears is a rematch against Missouri State on Friday, with first pitch at 2:30 p.m. at Farris Field.
