RUSTON, La. – The Central Arkansas softball  team picked up a third win in Ruston Saturday afternoon, defeating Stephen F. Austin with a late rally.
 
The Bears improved to 12-7 overall with the win. Central Arkansas worked 11 walks in the game, a season-high, and tallied four hits, including two in a five-run sixth inning that lifted the Bears to victory.
 
Neither side saw much workable offense in the first four innings, despite a leadoff double by Renee Christian in the bottom of the first. The Bears loaded the bases with two outs, but couldn't add a positive plate appearance to score a run. It took Stephen F. Austin four innings to put a soul on base, as Jaleigh White and the defense kept the Jacks uncomfortable at the plate the first time through the order.
 
Stephen F. Austin put the first runs on the board in the fifth, capitalizing on an error and a wild pitch to get runners on and moved around. The Jacks took a 2-0 lead after a sacrifice fly, and with just a couple of innings left, the Bears were starting to get put under some pressure at the plate. The Bears loaded the bases again in the fifth inning, but again, with two outs already, it was tough to get that key at bat to score runs.
 
SFA added one more run in the sixth, scoring on another sacrifice fly to take a 3-0 lead. But the Bears remained undaunted. Lilly Hood started the bottom of the sixth with a walk, and Autumn Vessier doubled to put both in scoring position. With the order turning over, Christian walked to load the bases, this time with zero outs. Addie Graham found enough of a ball to score a run on a sacrifice fly, and the Bears were at least on the board.
 
A stolen base and a throwing error moved Vessier around to score and Christian to third, and Central Arkansas was starting to rally. Trinity Brandon and Kaitlyn Graham both walked to reload the bases, and Emma Robertson flipped the lead with a two-RBI single past the left side of the infield, making it a 4-3 advantage for Central Arkansas. The inning continued as Robertson stole second, and a groundout allowed Graham to score from third base, making it 5-3 in favor of Central Arkansas.
 
The three fielders on the left side of the field took care of business in the top of the seventh, with Brandon at third, Christian at left field, and Grace Molitor at shortstop cleaning up the final half inning of the game. Emory Bowlin, who came in during the sixth inning, earned her second win of the season, tossing 1.1 innings of hitless softball to help the Bears clinch the win.
 
The Bears have just one game left this weekend, getting Louisiana Tech on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.