CONWAY, Ark. – Back at home after spending all of last week on the road, the Central Arkansas softball team takes the field against Tulsa on Tuesday. Starting at 5 p.m., it marks a quick one-game pit stop before going back on the road this weekend.
 
The Bears (20-8, 5-1 ASUN) picked up another series win early in conference play, defeating North Alabama two games to one. Tremere Harris hit .600 in the series, earning her second-career ASUN Player of the Week for leading the team. Jordan Johnson also played well in Florence, earning a pair of wins while holding a 1.50 ERA across 14 innings.
 
With two wins over the weekend, Central Arkansas reached 20 wins, one of two ASUN schools to reach the 20-win plateau. A 5-1 start to conference has the Bears in second place early in the schedule, putting up the second-most runs in the league at 43 through six games. In conference play, the Bears have hit .331, while allowing opponents to hit just .187. Central Arkansas batters have hit ten homers, compared to just two for the competition. Morgan Nelson has been the primary obliterator of the long ball, blasting five in six games. The redshirt junior is first in the conference in home runs, hitting eight already this season.
 
In the circle, the tandem of Johnson and Kayla Beaver have been dicing up opponents, striking out 196 batters in 185.0 innings, while holding opponents to a .216 batting average. Both pitchers have ten wins this season, and have combined for seven shutouts. Johnson, in particular, has a perfect 4-0 start to conference play, holding her opposing lineups to a .146 batting average.
 
Last season, the Bears and Golden Hurricane played in early march, a game that Central Arkansas won 9-1 in six innings. Jaylee Engelkes hit a grand slam, part of a seven run sixth inning. Beaver twirled the complete game, giving up just two hits in the win.
 
Tulsa enters the week 14-14, still a week away from starting conference play. The Golden Hurricane had the weekend off, last playing a week ago Wednesday at Missouri State, falling 5-2. After tying the game 2-2 in the third inning on an RBI single by Imani Edwards, Tulsa surrendered three runs down the stretch to fall in the midweek game.
 
Haley Morgan leads the team at the plate, hitting .409 with 16 RBI. The senior outfielder has only struck out three times in 88 at bats, tacking on seven extra base hits. She is one of five players to drive in 10 or more runs, and one of four players with five or more steals.
 
The Golden Hurricane has claimed Power Five wins this season over Texas Tech and Missouri, while also picking up wins over SIUE, Southern Mississippi, South Alabama and Sam Houston State.
 
First pitch at Farris Field is set for 5 p.m. on Tuesday. The game will be on ESPN+, and live stats are available here.