CONWAY, Ark. - The University of Central Arkansas softball team split a Southland Conference double-header against second place UT Arlington at Farris Field on Saturday. The Bears (11-15, 4-4) lost to the Mavericks (19-12, 6-2) 4-2 in a 12-inning heartbreaker, before rebounding to win game two 6-2.
In the opener, UCA outhit UTA 8-6, but left 11 runners on base. With one out in the bottom of the fifth, junior Katie McGregor singled and was lifted for sophomore pinch runner Lindsey Barsoum. After a base hit from junior Kasey Britt, sophomore catcher Melanie Bryant hit a single to right field, but Barsoum was gunned down at the plate by Charne Office while trying to score from second.
The game remained scoreless until the top of the 11th when Maverick center fielder Stephanie Gonzalez, who started the inning at second due to the international tie-breaker rule, was bunted over to Office and later scored on a sacrifice fly by catcher Erica LeFlore. The Bears tied the game in the bottom of the frame after McGregor scored from second after freshman pitcher Callie Collins overthrew first base on Britt's sacrifice bunt attempt.
UTA plated three runs in the top of the 12th after a two-run homer by shortstop Courtney Enocksen and a RBI single by Office. UCA added one run in the bottom of the frame when freshman second baseman Taylor Dear knocked in senior first baseman Shay Ristau with a double to left center.
Freshman third baseman Tarra Underhill had two hits for the Bears. Second baseman Courtney Zink recorded two hits, including a double, for the Mavericks.
Collins (11-3) struck out seven with eight hits allowed, two unearned runs and two walks in 12 innings for the win. UCA sophomore Kelsie Armstrong (7-11) set a school record by pitching 12 innings. She struck out 11 and gave up six hits, two earned runs and seven walks.
In the nightcap, UTA scored in the top of the first when first baseman Rebecca Collom drew a walk and scored on a LeFlore base hit. UCA responded in the bottom of the first when junior right fielder Nicole Beals led off with a double and scored on a Britt single to center field.
The Bears took a 4-1 lead in the second when sophomore shortstop Preslie Long reached with a one-out base hit then stole second. Freshman Ashlynn Tovar followed with her first hit of the year and advanced to second on the throw while Long moved over to third. Freshman center fielder Kelvon Greer laid down a bunt that scored Long. Beals' ground ball was mishandled by Collom at first base, which led to Tovar and Greer scoring.
Bryant hit a two-run single in the fifth inning that scored McGregor and Beals to put UCA up 6-1. The Mavs added a final run in the top of the seventh when Office singled in pinch runner Kallan Thompson.
Beals went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, a RBI and a stolen base to lead the Bears. Britt went 2-for-4 with a RBI. Bryant extended her hitting streak to 16 games, tied for the second longest in school history. Office went 2-for-4 for UTA.
Junior Cami Newsome (3-3) earned the win while allowing six hits, two runs, three walks with two strikeouts in seven innings. Teri Lyles (7-8) gave up nine hits, five earned runs and a walk with three strikeouts over six innings in the losing effort.
The Bears and Mavericks will play the series finale on Sunday at noon.
