FLORENCE, Ala. – Central Arkansas softball split games two and three against North Alabama on Saturday, taking the series against the Lions. After a slow offensive day in game two, the Bears rebounded in game three to take a 6-4 final score to cap the weekend.
The split moved Central Arkansas to 20-8 on the year and 5-1 in conference play, reaching 20 wins before April for the first time since 2016.
Morgan Nelson knocked her eighth home run of the season in game three, a screamer that stayed true down the left field line, and the Bears had more walks than strikeouts in both games on Saturday.
Game One: Central Arkansas – 2, North Alabama - 3
The Bears were patient at the plate early, and it paid off. With a runner on and two outs, the Bears took four-consecutive walks, scoring
Madi Young and
Mary Kate Brown to establish a lead. From there,
Kayla Beaver and the defense would keep the Lions from answering until the second inning, when a bases loaded walk scored one for the home team.
Central Arkansas would threaten again in the fifth, loading the bases with
Tremere Harris, Young and Brown on base. But the Bears couldn't find a way to score anybody, with a force out at home and a strikeout leaving three runners on base. And the Lions would make the Bears pay for not scoring, punching a two-RBI single to take the lead.
Kylie Griffin got on board with a single in the seventh, but the Bears couldn't find anything else in the frame.
Game Two: Central Arkansas – 6, North Alabama – 4
Once again, the Bears struck first in game three, taking advantage of a
Tremere Harris walk and a throwing error by the pitcher to put Harris on third with no outs. With the next at bat,
Madi Young playd an infield ball to score Harris, putting the Bears up 1-0 after one.
Central Arkansas added to the lead in the third, as Young got on base with a two-out double to keep the lineup moving. Then,
Morgan Nelson came to the plate and did what she does, blasted one past the fence in left field to add a pair of runs to the lead.
Jordan Johnson continued to move through the lineup, finishing off the lineup in the third inning with a swinging strikeout.
Keeping the shutout going deeper into the game, the Bears added three more runs in the sixth inning.
Colleen Bare smashed a double, and was followed by a
Janiah Wilson walk, putting a pair on with one out.
Ally Callahan connected on a single, one of two hits by the freshman, loading the bases. Bare scored on a wild pitch, sprinting home before the catcher could recover from the errant throw. Two batters later, Harris drove a ball deep to left center, scoring both remaining runners to stretch the lead to six.
It would take until the seventh inning for the Lion offense to find anything, finally shaking off a no-hitter in the final inning to score four, but it was too little, too late; Johnson struck out the final batter in dominant fashion, throwing three-straight swinging strikes to end the game and win the series.
The Bears return home for a midweek next Tuesday, hosting Tulsa at Farris field at 5 p.m.
