CONWAY, Ark. – The Central Arkansas softball team remains at home for the next seven games, starting this weekend with an ASUN series against Austin Peay. The Bears and Governors will play one game each day this weekend at Natalie Shock Stadium, playing Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
The Bears (21-13) battled No. 9/10 Arkansas again on Tuesday, playing the Hogs for the second time this season. And for the second game in a row against the Razorbacks, the Bears tallied the first run of the game, and then Arkansas got its lineup rolling. Renee Christian extended her hitting streak to 21 games, and Addie Graham reached base for the 27^th straight game.
 
As the page turns back to ASUN play, Central Arkansas resumes a portion of the schedule that has the Bears 3-3 in league games. The Bears have hit .356 as a team through six ASUN games, with three batters hitting over .400. Emma Robertson has been seeing the ball exceptionally well, leading the team in multiple offensive categories since conference has started. The graduate is hitting .471, with two home runs, 11 RBI and six walks, all team-highs. Christian continues to be a sparkplug at the leadoff spot, hitting .458 with a team-high 11 hits and five stolen bases. Trinity Brandon also hits .409, giving Central Arkansas another dangerous bat near the top of the order.
 
The all-time series with Austin Peay has had some fireworks over the last couple of seasons. Game on in Conway last year went the absolute distance, a seven-inning thriller that ended 16-15 after Central Arkansas scored three in the bottom of the seventh to walk it off. Kaitlyn Graham hit the go-ahead knock, the 20^th hit of the day for the Bears and the program-record tying fifth of the day for Graham. The home series then produced alternating run-rule games, and the return to Clarksville was a heated series that saw the Bears claim two of three. No series between the teams has ever been a sweep, with Central Arkansas winning all three regular season series.
 
Austin Peay enters the week 20-13 overall and 2-4 in ASUN games, dropping series to EKU and North Alabama. The Govs have won the first game of both series, then gone on to drop the final two games. Most recently, the Governors are coming off a 7-2 win over Murray State on Wednesday, a game that saw Brie Howard hit two home runs to score four RBI.
 
Howard is the most dangerous hitter in the Governors' lineup. She ranks third on the team with a .333 average, is tied for second with 36 hits, and leads her squad with a monstrous 17 home runs and 52 RBI. She ranks fourth in the country in home runs and fifth in RBI, a major part of the ASUN's third-best offense.
 
First pitch on Friday is set for 6 p.m., with first pitch on Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. each day. All here games will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats available for all games.