The UCA softball team lost the final game in the series against the Austin Peay State University Governors 11-3 March 29. 

“I’m not sure that we showed up,” UCA head softball coach Kayla Lucas said. “We [were] not here today; we did not look to be here today.”

The Bears (23-14, ASUN 5-4) had already secured the series victory courtesy of 7-5 and 10-4 wins from the first two games. 

“The first two games, we came out and kind of controlled the tempo of the game,” Lucas said. “First game we scored first, second game they scored first but we did a really good job of matching them right after that. Matched every inning that they scored runs, we did that, and we just didn’t do that today.”

Lucas said, “It’s hard to beat somebody three times, don’t get me wrong, but our expectation is to do that; our standard is to do that. Is it tough to say I’m a little frustrated but we won two games? Yes, but our expectation is to win three games.”

The Bears were the first to get on the board after a solo home run by senior right fielder Lilly Hood. 

UCA freshman pitcher Emory Bowlin was able to hold the Governors (21-15, ASUN 3-6) to zero runs until the fourth inning. 

The fourth inning, however, was when the Governor’s offense began to get through the Bears defense. 

Austin Peay junior second baseman Kiley Hinton batted in a run off a double to center field, bringing sophomore pinch runner Kam Moore to home plate. 

Lucas said missing fly balls in foul territory hurt UCA’s chances of preventing Austin Peay’s offense from scoring. 

“[In] the fourth inning… we missed two fly balls,” Lucas said. “We got a leadoff out, but we missed a fly ball in left that was in foul territory, and then that same batter, since we gave her an extra swing, got a hit. Then the very next batter hits a fly ball in foul territory between third base and the catcher, we didn’t catch it, again gave her an extra swing and she got a hit, and it just kind of spiraled after that.”

Junior catcher Natalie Burns continued Austin Peay’s momentum with an RBI single, which brought in junior right fielder Katie Raper. 

The Governors got one more run in the top of the fourth inning by way of a fielding error by UCA’s left field off a hit from redshirt junior third baseman Makayla Navarro, which brought Hinton to home plate. 

Senior right-handed pitcher Alanah Jones and the Austin Peay defense got the next three UCA batters out, and the offense continued to extend its lead in the fifth inning. 

Senior first baseman Sammie Shelander hit a 2 RBI home run to bring herself as well as junior shortstop Brie Howard to home plate, extending the Governors’ lead to 5-1. 

UCA then had senior right-handed pitcher Sarah Currie relieve Bowlin, who ended the game with one strikeout, seven hits and five runs allowed. 

“I feel like [Bowlin] threw a really, really good game,” Lucas said. “But again, given good hitters, [Austin Peay has] good hitters, giving them extra swings is tough.”

The pitching change, however, did not stop the Governors from scoring more runs. 

Burns got hit by Currie’s pitch with the bases loaded, bringing in a run from sophomore pinch runner/right fielder Maggie Daughrity. 

Senior center fielder Shelby Allen then hit a 3 RBI double off of which Burns, senior designated player Ashlyn Dulaney and Hinton scored. 

In danger of being run-ruled in the bottom of the fifth, sophomore second baseman LJ Smith hit an RBI double, which was scored by sophomore shortstop Grace Molitor, to keep the Bears in the game. 

Currie recorded two strikeouts and forced Shelander to foul out to right field, preventing the Governors from extending its lead in the sixth inning. 

UCA was able to get one more run on the board courtesy of an RBI single from sophomore first baseman Kaitlyn Graham, which was scored by sophomore center fielder Addie Graham. 

The Bears had the bases loaded with one out on the board, but Jones struck out Molitor and forced a flyball from senior catcher Autumn Vessier to bail the Governors out of the inning. 

The Governors, however, were not done racking up runs, and closed the game with a 2 RBI home run from Navarro. 

“We’re gonna work on hitting the ball in the sun and catching it,” Lucas said. “That’s the biggest thing. I feel like it’s hard to respond offensively when you put yourself in that big of a hole.”

The Bears will face the Ole Miss Rebels at Natalie Shock Stadium for First Responders’ Night April 1 at 5 p.m.