CONWAY, Ark. – Already up two games in the series against Stetson, the Central Arkansas softball team finished out the series with a 9-7 win to claim the sweep. The Bears used plenty of offense early to take a lead, then held on late for a solid victory to close out the series.
The Bears improved to 13-21 overall and 5-4 in ASUN games with the win, thanks to production from all over the lineup.
Tremere Harris,
Lilly Hood and
Morgan Nelson all had multi-hit days, and Central Arkansas stole five bases on Saturday to pick up a ninth home win.
Central Arkansas opened the scoring in the first inning, with
Renee Christian getting on base with a bunt single. After stealing second, Christian was sent home on a Harris single to right field. Nelson took a ball off the shoulder to advance Harris to second, and
Gracie St. Hilaire sent Harris home with a double into left field. With Nelson now on third,
Colleen Bare smacked a single to score both runners, helping the Bears jump out 4-0.
Stetson went right to work in the top of the second, putting together four hits to score four runs, knotting the game back up.
Julia Petty came in to pitch after the fourth run, and got herself a groundout and a lineout to close the inning.
After hitting all the way around the order in the first,
Kylie Griffin came back to the plate to start the second. She would walk, steal second and score after Hood punched a single out to left field. Harris, who also walked, was on third after Hood's hit, and scored on Nelson's RBI single past the shortstop.
Tallulah Pascucci pinch ran for Nelson, and immediately stole second. Hood, on third base, waited until the catcher released the ball on her throw to second to sprint home, making it 7-4 Central Arkansas.
Nelson added two more runs in the fourth inning, going to the plate with two on and nobody out. She slammed a double to center field, hitting it high off of the 12-foot fence to send Harris and Hood home to make it 9-4. Stetson responded in the top of the fifth, scoring three runs in the frame to cut the lead to two runs. But Petty responded with a strikeout and a pop-up to get out of the situation, maintaining the lead for her team.
Stetson would send six batters to the plate in the sixth and seventh, but Petty and the defense sent all six back to the dugout, closing the door on the first sweep of the season for the Bears. Petty picked up her sixth win of the season after going 5.2 innings, allowing three hits and striking out a pair.
Central Arkansas is back on the field on Wednesday, facing Arkansas Pine Bluff on Farris Field. First pitch against the Golden Lions is set for 5 p.m.
