Baseball / Softball
UCA splits Saturday doubleheader against North Alabama
Bears get bats heated up in second game of doubleheader to get split against North Alabama on Saturday.
CONWAY, Ark. — Central Arkansas’s offense couldn’t muster much in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader against North Alabama, losing 2-1. But the Bears’ offense came to life in the second game and UCA’s Julia Petty didn’t allow any hits in an 8-0 victory.
Game One: UCA 1, North Alabama 2
The UCA bats struggled to get going early in the first game, as the first couple of innings passed with only a single baserunner. Meanwhile, the Lions put through the first run in the second frame, using a pair of doubles to notch the opening score. A hit batter would advance to second on a wild pitch and score on a double in the third, putting the Bears back 2-0 headed into the fourth.
As the sixth inning came around, the outs were getting thin for the Bears, who still trailed by two. Renee Christian gave the home team some life with two outs, punching a single just over the shortstop’s head to establish herself on base. After stealing second, a single by Tremere Harris moved the speedy freshman to third base. Lilly Hood followed up Harris with a single of her own, scoring Christian to put the Bears on the board.
But the Bears couldn’t capture that elusive equalizer, as the final four batters were retired in order to drop game one.
Game Two: UCA 8, North Alabama 0
Julia Petty started game two of the series, and opened the game with seven-straight batters getting retired. Petty continued to deal while the Bears figured out how to get the bats going, as both pitchers were near perfect through three innings.
UCA finally started seeing the ball better in the fourth. Harris started things off with a single, and was replaced on a fielder’s choice by Hood. A couple batters later, Gracie St. Hilaire sent Hood to second with a single. Eric Michael drilled one up the middle, and a diving shortstop sent the ball off course into no-man’s land, allowing Hood to score on the play. Michael stole second, and interference at the plate kept St. Hilaire’s run on the board, as the Bears struck first to go up two.
Petty struck out the side to send the Lions back to the field, only getting to a 2-2 count on one batter during the frame. Kylie Griffin started the home half with a terrific bunt single to get on board, and the Bears were rolling. Christian singled through the right side, and a misplay by the second baseman sent the ball almost to foul territory, allowing Griffin to score from first base. After a pitching change, the Bears took three-straight walks, scoring Christian to make it a four-run lead with the bases still loaded.
The Lions reentered their starting pitcher, who gave up a bases-clearing triple to St. Hilaire, who sent a ball to the wall in right center to stretch the lead even further. Michael capped the game with a first-pitch single past the left side of the infield, scoring St. Hilaire for the run rule win. In addition to the offensive explosion, the Bears pulled something off that had yet to happen in North Alabama’s Division I history. For the first time, the Lions were no-hit, as Petty was a walk away from a perfect game. The no-no is the first by a Bear since Jordan Johnson kept Bellarmine hitless on April 16, 2023.
The Bears and Lions play the rubber match on Sunday, facing off for the series at 1 p.m. at Farris Field.
KENNESAW, Ga. – Sunday’s series finale against Kennesaw State featured a similar script for Central Arkansas.
The Bears jumped out to an early 1-0, but lost that lead in the bottom of the second inning and never regained the lead, falling 11-1 to Kennesaw State in the Bears’ ASUN finale.
The game started just like the previous two days, with the Bears taking an early lead. This time, Central Arkansas established its first baserunner when Kade Seldomridge got on board on an error, reaching second base before the Owls were able to get the ball in. The sophomore would move bases on consecutive flyouts, going home on a sacrifice fly by A.J. Mendolia. It was the 20th RBI of the season and the 12th in ASUN games for Mendolia, and tied him with Drew Sturgeon for team-lead in conference contests.
But the Owls took the lead back in the home half of the second, using a home run and a sacrifice fly to take a 2-1 lead after two. And while the Bears would struggle to get much offense going after that, they did still put runners on in each of the first five innings. Kennesaw State, on the other hand, scored in each of the first five innings, with the exception of the first.
Hunter Alexander struck out five batters over a season-high 3.2 innings, reaching a handful of strikeouts for the second time this season. Alexander now has 35 Ks in 23.0 innings of work this season.
Central Arkansas returns home for its next game, a midweek against Little Rock on Tuesday. Facing the Trojans as part of the Governor’s I-40 Showdown, first pitch at The Bear is set for 6 p.m.
CONWAY, Ark. – Central Arkansas began Sunday looking to win its three-game series against North Alabama, but those hopes didn’t turn into reality.
North Alabama defeated the Bears 3-1 to secure the conference series victory and conclude the Bears’ ASUN regular season play.
The Bears (17-24, 8-7 ASUN) fell behind early and couldn’t quite pick up the runs necessary to overcome the deficit, despite outhitting the Lions. North Alabama took advantage of a couple of early baserunners in the first inning, hitting an RBI double and a sacrifice fly to take an early 2-0 lead. Central Arkansas responded in the bottom of the frame, with Kylie Griffin circling the bases on a single, a stolen base and a groundout. Tremere Harris brought her home on a sacrifice bunt, putting Central Arkansas in the scoring column.
Both teams struggled to get runners on base over the middle innings of the game, but the home team was able to put at least one runner on in each inning except for the fifth. Yet offense was largely nonexistent, as both pitchers kept hitters guessing. Julia Petty struck out four batters and scattered five hits across her seven innings. But in the seventh, back-to-back extra base hits allowed the Lions to tack on one more run, putting the Bears back two.
Central Arkansas now hits the road for two weeks, playing ASUN series in Nashville against Lipscomb and at Kennesaw State the weekend after. First pitch against the Bison is on Saturday at 2 p.m.
KENNESAW, Ga. – Central Arkansas had put itself in position for a late game rally, cutting Kennesaw State’s lead to only two runs in the fifth inning. But the Owls scored eight unanswered runs in the seventh and eighth innings to win 11-2.
The Bears, for the second-straight day, took an early lead when Kade Seldomridge singled up the middle in the third inning and Bryce Cermenelli brought him in all the way around from first on a double to right field.
But the Owls (19-14, 9-5) answered with three runs in the fourth inning and never trailed again. KSU got a grand slam in a six-run eighth inning to put the game away.
UCA was held to seven hits by seven different players, including a solo home run by freshman left fielder Zeb Allen in the fifth inning, his second of the season. The Owls finished with 16 hits, including three home runs, two by third baseman Isaac Bouton.
The Bears used three pitchers, with starter Charlie Christensen striking out four over 5.1 innings.
The series finale is set for noon Sunday at Stillwell Stadium.
-
Football3 months agoWalker’s breakout at Bucs’ rookie mini-camp sparks Barrett comparisons
-
Football2 years agoPHOTOS: UCA’s spirit squads at SFA game Saturday
-
Football2 years agoBears’ Will McElvain picks up league honor
-
Football2 years agoBears still have to come back late, but down SFA
-
Bears4 months agoBears getting familiar face back for final season of college basketball
-
Sugar Bears6 months agoMafua ties career high as Sugar Bears clinch spot for ASUN seeding
-
Bears2 years agoNO PROBLEM: UCA cruises to easy win in final tuneup
-
Bears9 months agoUCA’s John Shulman, Players Previewing BYU