CONWAY, Ark. – The Central Arkansas softball team get set to host its first of two home tournaments this season, welcoming in three teams as part of the Michelle Short & Adam Brown Memorial Collegiate Classic Friday through Sunday.
 
The Bears will play five of the nine games, two on Friday (Southeastern Louisiana at 2:30 p.m. and Saint Louis at 5 p.m.), two on Saturday (Evansville at 3 p.m. and Saint Louis at 5:30 p.m.) and one on Sunday (Evansville at 1 p.m.).
 
Central Arkansas improved to 6-4 on the young season on Wednesday, dominating Northern Iowa in all phases of the game in a 12-0 run-rule win. Bailie Runner earned her first-career no-hitter, pitching around a good offensive lineup and keeping the Panthers from ever threatening. The defense behind Runner was immaculate, blanketing any potential basehits and keeping UNI from ever having a chance to build. And at the plate, the Bears logged 11 hits for the third-straight game, including seven for extra bases. Kaitlyn Graham and Grace Molitor each hit a home run, Lilly Hood connected on a triple, and four doubles kept the baserunners moving all day long.
 
The lineup has improved since the start of the season, and the Bears have hit .379 or better in each of the last three games. Trinity Brandon continues to be a nightmare at the plate, hitting .412 with half of her hits producing extra bases. Five players have notched a home run this season, and seven Bears have stolen a base.
 
Southeastern Louisiana (9-3) carries a five-game winning streak into Conway. The Lions won all five at the Mardi Gras Mambo in Youngsville, Louisiana, winning three one-run games and two run-rule games. The Lions also have a high-profile win over No. 5 Oregon this year, and took No. 13 Clemson to extras to start the year.
 
The Lions are dangerous top to bottom in the lineup, hitting .295 as a team with four players with double-digit hits already. Six players have five or more RBI, and the Lions have already stolen 33 bases this year.
 
Saint Louis enters the weekend winners of four-straight, and a 6-4 overall record. The Bilikens won four of five games at UT Martin's Skyhawk Invitational, including a couple of run-rule wins over Mississippi Valley State. Saint Louis's lineup has 26 doubles through ten games, and has drawn 39 walks.
 
Evansville is 4-5 entering the weekend, having won two of four at Memphis' 901 Classic last weekend. The Purple Aces head to Conway with the most home runs of any team in the field, with eight long balls this season. Maliyah Wilkins has three of them, tallying 11 hits, three home runs and 13 RBI in nine games this year.
 
Game times can also be found at the Tournament Homepage. Only Central Arkansas games on Friday and Sunday will be on ESPN+, but all games will have live stats available online.