DELAND, Fla. – Two games, 19 innings, two walk-offs. That's the very short of a very long day for the University of Central Arkansas softball team, who gutted out two extra-inning wins to advance to Saturday's ASUN Championship final. After a 3-1 finish in eight innings against No. 4 Florida Gulf Coast, the Bears survived 11 innings against the No. 2 Liberty, a mental slugfest that ended 2-1.
 
The two wins improved the nationally ranked Bears to 42-10 on the year, now just two wins away from earning an ASUN Championship title to add to the regular season championship. Mary Kate Brown was 5-for-6 at the plate over the two games, drawing three walks for an OB% of .889. Kayla Beaver and Jordan Johnson both dominated in the circle, each holding their opponents to just one run, and over 19.0 innings, recorded a 0.37 ERA.
 
Game One: No. 1 Central Arkansas – 3, No. 5 FGCU – 1
Gulf Coast struck first in the top of the first inning, capitalizing on a fielding error and circling the runner to take a brief lead. Central Arkansas came 60 feet from equalizing in the home half of the inning, but couldn't score a runner from third. The Bears did, however, respond in the bottom of the second, leading off with a Jaylee Engelkes walk. Erin Michael came in to pinch run, and was moved to second by a sacrifice bunt by McKayla Betts. Two batters later, Jenna Wildeman punched a single to center field that slipped past the centerfielder, allowing Michael to sprint home.
 
Johnson and the defense shut things down through the end of the sixth inning, allowing just two base runners from the third to the seventh inning. Florida Gulf Coast couldn't muster any sort of threat, leaving the game deadlocked into the seventh inning.
 
The Eagles finally put together a threat in the seventh, walking a batter and moving a runner over with a single to left with one out. But a fielder's choice eliminated the runner going to third, and a groundout to Kylie Griffin sent the Bears back to the plate with a chance to walk it off. But all Central Arkansas could get was a single hit in the home half of the seventh, sending the team to its second extra inning outing of the season.
 
With stakes as high as they have been, staring elimination down, FGCU found a one-out single to establish a baserunner. Taking off, the runner tied stealing second, but Josie Willingham gunned her down, with Madi Young getting the ball down quickly enough for the tag at second. The momentum of the gun-down carried the defense through the end of the inning, putting the bats back up for one more run.
 
Brown opened the home half of the eighth with a single, the third of the game for the second baseman. Colleen Bare came in to pinch run, moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by Morgan Nelson. Engelkes came back to the plate, already with one blast in the tournament. Up 2-1 in the count, Engelkes found her pitch and completely unleashed on it, walking off game one with a towering two-run homer.
 
Game Two: No. 1 Central Arkansas – 2, No. 2 Liberty – 1
Kayla Beaver, rolling after closing out the first game, sat down the first three batters in order, setting the stage for what would be a dominant effort in the circle by the redshirt junior. In the home half, Madi Young reached third after a fielder's choice, a steal, and an errant throw put the shortstop 60 feet from scoring with two outs. But the lineup couldn't come up with a hit to score the junior, stranding her for a scoreless inning.
 
Back and forth the pitchers went, Beaver and Karlie Keeney, keeping the other team off the board time after time. The Flames threatened in the third, putting runners on the corners, but a big strikeout and a foul-out to first base ended the opportunity. Meanwhile, the Bears struggled to get baserunners of any kind, putting balls in play, but usually right at defenders; Keeney finished the game with just three strikeouts after facing 41 total batters.
 
In the fifth, Liberty posted runners on the corners again with one out. Central Arkansas gave second base to the runner on first, not willing to make a critical mistake and allow a run. The decision paid off, as the next two batters put balls in the air to hold the runners still and end the inning.
 
Central Arkansas, meanwhile, continued to struggle at the plate, sending three up and usually bringing three back to the dugout as innings passed. The lineup finally had some success in the seventh, as Morgan Nelson hit a one-out single to establish herself on base. A McKayla Betts single moved a now pinch running Erin Michael to second, but a fielder's choice to the shortstop sent the Bears to their second bout of extra innings.
 
Still scoreless after regulation, that quickly changed in the top of the eighth, with Caroline Hudson connecting on a pitch for an inning opening home run. But the Bears, trailing for the first time in the second game, stayed calm and collected, getting the three outs to keep the damage to the one run.
 
Desperation mode set in for Central Arkansas, who was 1-1 in extra inning games this season. Tremere Harris reached on a one-out walk, putting the tying run on base. Madi Young single to move her to second, putting a runner in scoring position for just the third time all game. Mary Kate Brown came to the plate having been the most successful batter for the Bears in the tournament, and came through with a single up the middle. Harris rounded third with zero hesitation, equalizing the score at one run apiece and sending the UCA dugout into a frenzy, breathing life back into the Bears.
 
The ninth inning was a defense's dream, both teams went three up and three down to send the game to a tenth inning. Reaching double-digit innings for the first time since 2021, Central Arkansas allowed a pair of runners with one out. But just as in other innings, a flyout in foul territory and a fielder's choice got the country's seventh-ranked defense out of a jam.
 
Into the 11^th, a first for the Bears since 2017, and Beaver was still rolling, striking out the first batter of the frame, a hitter who had seen Beaver four other times to that point in the game. The Jackson, Tenn., native allowed two hits from one Flame, scattering seven total hits across 40 at bats. Brown made the other two outs in the top of the 11^th on a pair of groundouts, then led the home half of the frame at the plate.
 
And the Atkins, Ark., native came through in a big way, blasting a double to left center to open the frame. Colleen Bare pinch ran for the redshirt junior, putting a little bit more speed in scoring position. Now with speed on the base and power in the box, Morgan Nelson saw one pitch before bashing one off the outstretched glove of the third baseman, squeezing it down the line just far enough for Bare to sprint home to seal the deal.
 
The Bears advance to Saturday's championship round with the two wins, giving themselves a chance to add a tournament title to their regular season one. Facing North Alabama, Central Arkansas will have to win twice against the Lions to hoist the trophy. Game one of the final day of play is set for 12 p.m. CT.