CONWAY, Ark. – The Southeastern Louisiana softball team suffered its first Southland Conference series loss of the 2015 season on Friday, as Central Arkansas swept a doubleheader from the Lady Lions at Farris Field.
Southeastern fell to 18-20 overall and 12-4 in Southland Conference play with the two losses. Central Arkansas moved ahead of SLU in the league standings, improving to 26-12 overall and 14-3 in league action.
In the opener, an RBI double by junior designated player
Amber Sather was all SLU could manage in an 8-1 loss against UCA senior pitcher Kylee Studioso (21-8), who struck out nine in a complete-game five-hit effort. The Bears finished with 10 hits against Lady Lion junior
Taylor Bishop (12-4), who suffered her first loss in her last 11 decisions.
SLU's bats came alive in the nightcap, but the Lady Lions could not overcome an early 6-0 deficit on the way to a 10-7 loss. Sather tied the team lead with her seventh home run of the season, while senior third baseman
Megan Moore (3-for-4, 2 RBI) and freshman shortstop
Sydney Booker (2-for-4, 1 RBI) had multiple hits, as well. Freshman outfielder
Kinsey Nichols, sophomore outfielder
Sloan Jenkins and freshman catcher
Carlie Whittington also had RBI for SLU in the loss.
Southeastern will look to avoid a series sweep on Saturday. Live stats for the 11 a.m. series finale will be accessible at LionSports.net.
Game One – Central Arkansas 8, Southeastern Louisiana 1UCA jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. An RBI single by senior first baseman Ashley Boswell gave the Bears the early advantage.
The Bears tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the third inning. A two-run home run by junior catcher Jessie Taylor started the inning's scoring, while another run came in on an error by senior second baseman
Vanessa Eng to give UCA a 4-0 cushion.
Southeastern got on the board in the top of the fourth inning. Booker singled with two outs, then scored when Sather doubled off the fence in right centerfield to cut the Bear advantage to 4-1.
UCA ended any chance of a SLU comeback in the bottom of the fourth inning with a three-run frame. The Bears tacked on an insurance run in the sixth inning to secure the final 8-1 margin.
Game Two – Central Arkansas 10, Southeastern Louisiana 7Central Arkansas jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning against junior
Madison Vige' (0-1). An RBI single by junior second baseman Sarah Bigej put the Bears on top.
The Bears broke the game open in the bottom of the second, tacking on five runs against Vige', who gave way to senior
Tori Stamper.
Facing a 6-0 deficit, Southeastern chased UCA junior starter Shivaun Landeros from the game after the third inning. Singles by senior first baseman
Teresa Lemos and junior outfielder
Katie Lacour put runners at the corners. Nichols then beat out an infield single to score Lemos, then Booker singled up the middle to plate Lacour. Moore followed with her second double of the day to clear the bases and cut the Bear lead to 6-4.
UCA got the four runs back in the bottom of the fourth inning to push the advantage back to 10-4. In the top of the fifth inning, consecutive singles by Booker, Sather and Moore loaded the bases with one out. Jenkins then reached on an error by Boswell, allowing Booker to score. Studioso then walked Whittington to force in another run that shrunk the UCA lead to 10-6. Southeastern would get no closer, as Lemos lined into a double play to end the SLU threat.
Southeastern mounted one last rally in the top of the seventh inning. With one out, Sather bombed a 3-2 pitch well over the left field fence. Moore followed with a single, but Studioso struck out Jenkins and Whittington to close out the 10-7 victory.
