CONWAY, Ark. – After facing an early deficit, the Central Arkansas softball team gutted out a 3-2 win over the Golden Hurricane, scratching across some late runs to defend home field.
The win improved the Bears to 13-8 on the season, and winners of four of the last five games.
Emory Bowlin picked up the win in the circle, tossing the complete game while allowing just three hits and two runs.
Tulsa started the game with an early lead, scoring a pair of runs in the first inning after putting together a few at bats. On the other side, the Bears couldn't stay at the plate, with just a baserunner in each of the first pair of innings, and despite putting more runners on in the third, video reviewed plays halted the Central Arkansas momentum.
Emma Robertson finally breathed some life into the Bears on the first pitch of the fourth inning. Stepping to the plate, she liked the very first offering she got, and she offered it to the Greek organizations camped out on the berm, hitting her fourth homer of the season to put the home team in the run column.
Central Arkansas made the final push in the sixth inning after a clean fifth.
LJ Smith got things going with one out, reaching first on a single up the middle.
Gracie St. Hilaire laid down a beautiful bunt, reaching safely on the intended sacrifice, and a defensive miscue allowed Smith and St. Hilaire to advance to scoring position. A couple of batters later,
Autumn Vessier hit one to the outfield, and a miscue on the left fielder allowed both runners to score, putting Central Arkansas in front. Tulsa threatened with a runner at third in the top of the seventh, but the Bears were able to get the final out on a grounder to
Lilly Hood at second base, and that was all she wrote.
The Bears now get set to host a pair of teams for the Milisa Moore & Shane Lamb Memorial Tournament. With Chattanooga and ULM coming to town, the Bears have altered the weekend schedule to play all six games of the tournament across Friday and Saturday, giving the tournament time to adjust if weather should force movement.
