NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Central Arkansas softball team came out swinging to start the series against Lipscomb this weekend, dominating both games of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon to clinch its first ASUN series win of the season.
The Bears improved to 21-11 overall and 3-2 in ASUN games with the successful day. The entire offense got involved in both wins, with eight batters recording hits on the day as the Bears outscored the Bisons 19-2.
Game One: Central Arkansas – 10, Lipscomb – 2
Like most games this season, early runs carried the day for Central Arkansas.
Renee Christian established a baserunner on the first plate appearance of the weekend with a walk, and immediately stole second to get into scoring position. Two batters later,
Trinity Brandon launched her fifth home run of the season to plate the first two runs of the day.
As exciting as the first inning was, the second brought even more fireworks.
Lilly Hood reached on an error to keep the lineup moving and preventing the Bears from starting down two outs.
Autumn Vessier singled to move the runner to second, and Christian knocked a single to right field to score Hood. Christian stole second, and when the Bisons bit and threw to catch her stealing, Vessier stole home, making it 4-0 Bears. A wild pitch moved Christian to third, and
Addie Graham walked to put runners on the corners again. The Bears pulled off the same double steal, and Christian slid home to make it a five-run lead. Brandon singled,
Emma Robertson singled to score Graham, a groundout sent a run home,
LJ Smith drove in a run… six runs scored in the second inning made it an 8-0 lead for the Bears.
Lipscomb finally scratched two runs across in the third, getting back under the eight-run threshold for a run-rule. Central Arkansas could only get one back in the fifth, combining a Vessier walk with a few at bats at the top of the order to score, but the lead stood at seven after five innings. But in the sixth, Central Arkansas got the job done.
Kaitlyn Graham got on base with a single, moved to third on a groundout, and after two walks to load the bases, a sacrifice fly by Vessier gave Central Arkansas the coveted eight-run lead.
Bailie Runner got her ninth win of the season in the circle, tossing the complete game and scattering four hits.
Game Two: Central Arkansas – 9, Lipscomb – 0
While small ball got the offense moving in game one, that shifted as game two went on, with some early runs scored the same way, to power wrapping up the day in the later innings. After a scoreless first, the Bears picked up where they left off in the second.
LJ Smith singled to get aboard, and back-to-back errors on would be sacrifice bunts loaded the bases. A fielder's choice later, the Bears crossed home plate for the first time in game two.
Renee Christian doubled to score another,
Addie Graham hit a sacrifice fly,
Trinity Brandon singled to score a run, and
Emma Robertson doubled to cap five-straight plate appearances resulting in runs scored, a blitz that Lipscomb couldn't escape in just the second inning.
The Bisons were having a little success getting base runners on, but couldn't string enough together to make any of them count. With six hits in the first three innings, it seemed all but certain that there would be runs scored by the home team, but instead, the Bisons continued to struggle to cross home plate.
Central Arkansas did not struggle to cross home plate, and continued to not struggle in the third. Graham and Brandon had back-to-back walks to put a runner in scoring position, and a wild pitch moved them 60 feet further. But the extra base on the errant pitch meant nothing, because
Emma Robertson found her pitch on a 3-1 count and absolutely obliterated a ball to left field, clearing not just the outfield wall, but the fence outside the outfield wall to the parking lot. The home run, the second homer of the season to be described as the furthest hit ball at a visiting team's park, scored three, giving the Bears an 8-0 lead.
Kaitlyn Graham singled after that, and a pinch running
Sydney Kildow stole second to get right back in scoring position. An
LJ Smith double later, and it was a 9-0 lead for Central Arkansas.
The defense and
Lucy Crowder took care of the rest, completing the shutout and giving Central Arkansas the series win. Crowder scattered eight hits in five innings, walking zero runners while striking out three for her second win of the season.
Central Arkansas finishes the series with Lipscomb on Sunday at 1 p.m. before returning home for the next eight games.
