CONWAY, Ark. – Playing their third game in three days, the Bears picked up a third win at the Michelle Short Memorial Classic, downing Mississippi Valley State 11-1 in five innings. Central Arkansas used an eight-run second inning to jump out early, coasting to the double-digit win to reach ten wins in the first 12 games of the year.
 
Kayla Beaver came out with bad intentions against the Devilettes, striking out five of her first six, collecting an assist on a groundout for the one out that wasn't a strikeout.
 
After a scoreless first, the offense caught fire in the second, with Morgan Curley starting with a four-pitch walk. Mary Kate Brown singled to get a pair of runners on, and was followed by Kylie Griffin's first-career home run, obliterating one out past right field and over the clubhouse, putting the Bears ahead 3-0.
 
Back at the top of the order, three straight walks loaded the bases for Jaylee Engelkes, who tied the school record for home runs in a single season last year with 12. Finding a pitch that may as well have been on a tee, Engelkes launched her own home run, this one a grand slam, to stretch the lead to seven runs.
 
The Bears added one more run in the second on back-to-back doubles Morgan Nelson and Morgan Curley, reaching eight runs before two outs in the inning.
 
After a considerable time in the dugout, Beaver came back out and went right back to work, striking out the side in the third, Ks six, seven and eight in just three innings of work.
 
Central Arkansas continued to score runs, adding three in the fourth inning. Reaching on a fielder's choice, Curley was driven home on another double by Brown. Two batters later, Brown crossed home on a sacrifice fly by McKayla Betts, scoring the tenth run of the game for the Bears. The 11^th came on a wild pitch; Griffin scored from third on some heads-up base running on the miscue from the Devilettes' pitcher.
 
Mississippi Valley State pieced together one run in the top of the fifth, also capitalizing on a wild pitch, but that would be the only run for the Devilettes, who recorded just three hits on the day. The Bears sent 20 batters to bases throughout the day, drawing ten walks and striking out just twice. So far on the weekend, Central Arkansas has outscored its opponents 20-3, giving up a single run in each game.
 
One more game remains this weekend for Central Arkansas, with a new game time of 11 a.m. on Sunday. The Bears will close the Michelle Short Memorial Classic with a game against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits, rounding out four games in four days.