FLORENCE, Ala. – The Central Arkansas softball team rebounded on Sunday, salvaging its ASUN opening series against North Alabama with an 8-6 win over the Lions to close the weekend.
 
The Bears improved to 19-10 overall and 1-2 in ASUN games, thanks in large part to what the top of the order was able to do. The top four hitters for the Bears were responsible for seven of the team's nine hits, and drove in all eight runs.
 
Just like the first two games of the series, Central Arkansas wasted little time establishing the offense. Renee Christian led off with an infield single, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Trinity Brandon hit her 13^th double of the season immediately after that, and Christian scored from second, putting Central Arkansas on the board. North Alabama evened the score in the home half of the second, but early in the game, momentum felt a little more in favor of a hungry Central Arkansas team.
 
With the order all but turned over for the third, Autumn Vessier opened the frame with a single to establish another early baserunner. Christian walked to put her teammate in scoring position, but a fielder's choice kept runners at second and third. With two outs, Emma Robertson battled seven pitches before demolishing the eighth, hitting a home run that was aided by the wind to create a home run that nearly cleared every fence in the park, nearly reaching the street beyond.
 
North Alabama found a pair of homers in the bottom of the third to keep this game tied, so Central Arkansas went back to work in the fourth. With two outs, Vessier drew a walk and stole second to get herself in scoring position. Christian came up as the order went back to the top, and her single right up the gut was deep enough for Vessier to score from second. The defense held firm in the fourth and fifth, sending the Bears back to the plate in the sixth with a one-run lead. LJ Smith walked to start it off, and Lilly Hood outran a base hit that went all of five feet, beating the pitcher's reaction to stay safe at first. Vessier moved the runners on a groundout, putting two on base at second and third. Christian recorded another hit to score a run, and stole second to keep two on in scoring position. Addie Graham walked the bases loaded, and Brandon hit a single to center, scoring two to stretch the lead to four.
 
After the Lions went three up, three down in the sixth, and Central Arkansas did so in the top of the seventh, it all came down to the bottom of the final inning for the third-straight game. A four-run lead felt safe, but North Alabama had also taken the first two games with comeback efforts in late innings already. And the Lions fought, the home team hit three doubles to score a pair of runs, but Bailie Runner and the defense clamped up, recording a diving catch in left field, a groundout to second, and a groundout to third to end the game.
 
Christian was a rock atop the lineup this weekend, hitting 6-for-11 while scoring five runs and driving in three, accounting for eight of the team's 18 runs in Florence. She also extended her hitting streak to 16 games, setting a new season mark after passing Graham's earlier streak of 15 games.
 
Central Arkansas has a midweek on Tuesday, playing at Arkansas at 11 a.m. in Fayetteville.