CHARLOTTE, N.C. – An eight-game winning streak came to a close on Sunday, as the Central Arkansas softball team dropped the third and final game of its ASUN series with Queens. The Bears, who were seeking a series sweep over the Royals, came up just short, falling 4-3.
 
The Bears fall to 16-22, 7-5 ASUN with the loss, after giving up a run late in the game. Central Arkansas opened up the scoring in the top of the second, after Gracie St. Hilaire opened the inning with a single. McKayla Betts walked to move St. Hilaire to second, and Kylie Griffin reached on an error by the Queens outfield, which allowed St. Hilaire to score.
 
Queens answered in the home half of the inning, connecting on a two-run homer to take the lead. But Central Arkansas would waste little time immediately reclaiming the advantage. Tremere Harris started things off with a single up the middle, and Morgan Nelson followed it up with her fifth home run of the season, a two-run blast to right center that gave the Bears a 3-2 lead.
 
That score would hold until the sixth inning, when Queens was able to add together a two-out single, a hit by pitch, and another single to even the score at 3-3. In the top of the seventh, the Bears put runners on second twice, but couldn't bring either runner around to home. Queens, in the bottom of the seventh, got down to its last out of the game before finding just enough of a single to second a runner home from third.
 
Central Arkansas is at home for the next one, facing Memphis in a midweek on Tuesday. First pitch against the Tigers is set for 6 p.m. at Farris Field.