CONWAY, Ark. – The Central Arkansas softball team gets set for its senior day weekend, facing Lipscomb in the final regular season series of the year. The Bears and Bisons will start with a 4 p.m. double header on Thursday, then end the series at 1 p.m. on Friday. The Bears will honor their graduates prior to game one on Thursday, then celebrate Senior Day after the game on Friday.
 
The Bears (31-18-1, 13-6-1) are trying to clinch the one seed this weekend. Sitting atop the ASUN Gold division, the Bears need to at least match EKU's series, because Central Arkansas holds the tiebreaker from head-to-head games against the Colonels. Also still in the conversation is North Alabama. Slightly lower because of winning percentage, a sweep by any of the three teams could propel them to the top spot in the division, and potentially an overall one seed in next week's ASUN Championship.
 
Central Arkansas faces Lipscomb this weekend, a team that has been a great matchup for the Bears, with 13 wins in 15 meetings. The two sides faced off in Nashville earlier this year, where the Bears won two of three against the Bisons. The Bears average nearly nine runs a game against Lipscomb, and have only allowed more than three runs twice in the 15 meetings.
 
But more importantly, the Bears will be celebrating the legacy and contributions of the 2026 senior class. Comprised of eight athletes that are mostly transfers, the class of 2026 brought heart and passion to Central Arkansas, leading to 85 wins and have kept the Bears competitive through the end of the ASUN era, earning top-three seeds in each season since the 2023 championship. The Bears appreciate and thank Lilly Hood, Reese Parker, Gracie St. Hilaire, Emma Robertson, Autumn Vessier, Sarah Currie and Trinity Brandon for their sacrifice and dedication to our program.
 
Lipscomb (13-35, 6-15 ASUN) enters the week on the outside looking in, with the eight teams making the tournament already named. And with only six conference wins, the Bisons can't pass the ten-win Governors. The fate of the Bisons was sealed last weekend, when the Bisons played three games against Austin Peay with a chance to stay in the mix, but dropped two of three to be eliminated.
 
The Bisons graduate four athletes this season, in Presley Rader, Macey Ogle, Elle Smith and Grace Cassarello. The four have been great representatives of the Lipscomb softball program, leading their team to a pair of 20-win seasons and an appearance in the 2025 ASUN Championship.
 
First pitch for Thursday's double header is set for 4 p.m., followed by a 1 p.m. start on Friday. All three games this weekend will be streamed on ESPN+, and live stats will be available online. The team's graduation ceremony will take place shortly before Thursday's double header, and Senior Day celebrations will take place after Friday's standalone game.