CONWAY, Ark. – Another series opener against EKU, another marathon game that didn't quite have a good ending. Central Arkansas softball opened its home series with EKU Sunday night, falling 3-1 after a ten-inning pitching duel.
 
The Bears (17-21, 5-4 ASUN) made it to extras after a late home run by Emma Robertson, and survived ten innings because of Bailie Runner going toe to toe with one of the better pitchers in the league, and a good showing from the defense behind her.
 
EKU scored in the second inning, pairing a couple of walks with a single to center that allowed a runner to score from second. Lilly Hood got on base with a walk in the home half of the frame with one out, but got stuck at first. The sides traded baserunners in the third, fifth and sixth innings, but both defenses were able to keep the ball in front and prevent runs from being scored.
 
In the seventh, still down one, the Bears forced a three-up, three-down inning from the Colonels, which included back-to-back strikeouts from Runner. In the home half, with one out on the board, Robertson stepped up to the plate and needed just two pitches to find one she liked and send it down the right line into the EKU bullpen, tying the game.
 
Both sides saw runners move to scoring position in the eighth, with Madi Young reaching third for the Bears on a double and an advance on the next batter, but just like five of the previous seven innings, neither team scored. The ninth saw both lineups send three to the plate and return three to the dugout, and in the tenth, EKU was able to find two runs that Central Arkansas couldn't answer.
 
Runner, who pitched in the road game against EKU that went 11 innings, struck out seven batters on the night.
 
Central Arkansas will play a doubleheader to close out the series against EKU tomorrow at 11 a.m. at Natalie Shock Stadium.