LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Needing just one more win to sweep the Bellarmine Knights, the Central Arkansas softball team was excellent on both sides Sunday afternoon, getting a huge offensive output from the lineup to go along with Emory Bowlin's no-hitter.
 
The Bears improved to 28-16 overall and 10-4 in ASUN games. Bowlin became the first freshman to throw a no-hitter for the Bears since 2020, and picked up her sixth win on the season. Central Arkansas improved to 12-1-1 all-time against the Knights, scored double-figures against the Knights for the fourth time, and swept Bellarmine for the third time.
 
Similar to the first two games, the Bears scored early and often. Addie Graham led off with a single, and Trinity Brandon walked to put two on. A passed ball moved both runners to scoring position, and a groundout and a double scored both, putting the Bears up early.
 
The Bears continued to roll in the second. Grace Molitor got on with a single to right field, and reached second on Autumn Vessier's plate appearance. Renee Christian connected on a single up the middle, and Molitor was able to score from second. Brandon cleared the bases and put the game in a different look with a three-run homer, her eighth of the season, putting Central Arkansas up six.
 
LJ Smith opened the third with a single, and moved to second after Lilly Hood walked. Vessier drew a walk two batters later, and the bases were loaded with one out. After a pitching change, Christian walked in a run. Graham smoked a single to score two runs, and Brandon followed that with a 2-RBI hit herself, stretching the lead to 11.
 
The offense put the finishing touches on the game in the fifth inning. Christian walked to reach base yet again, establishing an early runner. A couple batters later, Brandon recorded her third hit of the day to put runners in scoring position. Emma Robertson came to the plate and needed just one pitch to send out a single, driving in Christian. Kaitlyn Graham knocked a double to right center to clear the bases, and back-to-back RBI hits by Smith and Hood put the lead at an insurmountable 16 runs, the most runs scored by the Bears this season.
 
Bowlin and the defense were terrific all game long. With the exception of a couple of errors, Bowlin gave up just a single walk, just three base-runners the entire afternoon. She struck out two batters, and claimed her second shutout of the season in the circle.
 
The Bears are back on the road next weekend, returning to the Bluegrass State to face Eastern Kentucky in the return trip. The Bears are currently 2-0 against the Colonels this season, after claiming both games in Conway a week ago.