CONWAY, Ark. – The Central Arkansas softball team hits the road again for an ASUN series against Lipscomb. Playing the Bisons in Nashville for the first time ever, the Bears open the series on Saturday with a doubleheader at 2 p.m., and close it on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Central Arkansas (17-24, 8-7 ASUN) last played North Alabama at home last weekend, falling 2-1 in the series against the Lions.
Julia Petty tossed a no-hitter in game two, but Central Arkansas couldn't muster enough runs in games one and three to take the series. Petty's no-hitter was her fourth shutout of the season, and her second of the conference slate.
Tremere Harris has been on fire since the start of conference, hitting .452 with an on base percentage of .566. The senior hit 4-of-5 last weekend and extended her hitting streak to a team-high 11 games. On the season, the Conway native is hitting .351, good for second on the team, and leads the team with 24 walks and a .464 on base percentage.
All-time, Central Arkansas owns a 5-1 record all-time against Lipscomb, having swept last season's series. The Bears have never allowed more than two runs to the Bisons, and have scored seven or more runs in all five wins.
Lipscomb enters the weekend with a 15-28 record overall and a 4-11 slate in ASUN games. The Bisons lost their midweek on Wednesday, falling to Chattanooga 10-2, marking their sixth-straight loss in a row. Lipscomb's last conference series was against Queens, and the Bisons dropped all three games by small margins.
The Bisons are led at the plate by Kaylyn Belfield, who hits .291 on the year. The speedster has 30 hits and six stolen bases this year, and adds 15 walks with a team-high .387 on base percentage. In the circle, Laine Barefoot has the team's best ERA, a 3.21 in 100.1 innings of work. The junior holds a 5-12 record and has 37 strikeouts.
First pitch against the Bisons is on Friday at 2 p.m., game one of a doubleheader. Saturday's start time is 1 p.m. Games one and two will be on ESPN+, and live stats are available for all games.
