CONWAY, Ark. – After winning the first two games of the series, the Central Arkansas softball team couldn't find a way to complete the sweep Sunday afternoon, dropping the third game of the weekend against Austin Peay 11-3.
The Bears (23-14, 5-4 ASUN) gave up a couple of damaging innings in the middle of the game to let it slip away, and couldn't generate enough late offense to get back into it.
Renee Christian (24 game hitting streak) and
Addie Graham (30 game on base streak) both extended their record-setting runs, but the Bears struggled to keep pace with the Governors' 11 runs.
Emory Bowlin started the game on fire, allowing just one hit through the first round of the Austin Peay order. Then in the second,
Lilly Hood opened up the scoring. The senior stepped up to the plate with two outs, and just needed one pitch, blasting it over into the Central Arkansas bullpen in left field to put Central Arkansas on top.
The Governors finally got their bats started in the fourth inning, driving in three runs in the fourth to take the lead. After the Bears were unable to answer in the home half of the frame, Austin Peay continued to build the lead, scoring six more in the fifth. Down to the final half inning without a score, Central Arkansas had to move someone around the bases to keep the game going in the bottom of the fifth. The bottom of the order answered the call, as
Grace Molitor took one off the shoulder to establish a baserunner. Two batters later, down to the potential final out,
LJ Smith smashed one to the wall in left center, and Molitor was able to slide safely in at home, despite an Austin Peay challenge.
Central Arkansas would go on to score one more in the sixth, but gave up two in the seventh to let the lead grow back to eight. The Bears couldn't get anything going in the seventh either, ending the game on a flyout.
The Bears now sit 5-4 in ASUN games, sitting in third place in the ASUN Gold Division three series into the season. Central Arkansas is back at home for the next four games, hosting Ole Miss on Wednesday at 5 p.m. before hosting Eastern Kentucky next weekend.
