After scoring the first run of the game, the UCA softball team was struck down by the Shockers in a 6-1 away game loss.
The Bears (17-19, ASUN 5-3), were first on the board in the second inning during their game on March 25 against Wichita State when freshman infielder Mya January hit a home run.
This was January’s third home run of the season and she is now leading the Bears with the most long balls. She also ended the day with two hits against the Shockers (17-17-1, AAC 5-6-1).
After pitching for 4.2 innings, freshman pitcher Madge Layfield created some cushion for the team to receive zero hits against them.
However, the Shockers quickly gained ground in the bottom of the fourth inning when Wichita redshirt senior infielder Camryn Compton homered a ball to left field resulting in a run from her and teammate junior utility player Taylor Sedlacek. With this, the Shockers led the game 2-1.
Picking up the pace, graduate infielder Madi Young was able to walk while freshman infielder Addie Graham hit a first base run which loaded up the bases.
Even so, there were two outs already on the board for the Bears and a quick pop-up ended the possibility of a scoring run, causing UCA to continue to struggle behind Wichita State.
Rounding out the fifth inning, Shockers graduate student outfielder Lauren Lucas doubled over to right field causing senior infielder Krystin Nelson to advance to third base and junior infielder Sami Hood to make a run continuing Wichita State’s lead against UCA.
Developing their offense further in the bottom of the fifth, freshman outfielder Brookelyn Livanec doubled to left center creating a way for Nelson and Hood to score and up their lead.
With the Bears still only at one run, Hood hit a homerun in the bottom of the sixth inning resulting in only one run for the Shockers but making their final score 6-1.
Over the course of the game, Young was able to draw two walks out from the Shockers and singled where she then touched third base all three times she stepped up to the plate.
With multiple base runners for Wichita State like Lucas and Livanec stacked against January, the Shockers offense defeated UCA during this game.
When the season started, the Bears had four games with multiple errors in just their first nine games, but the Bears had zero errors against the Shockers and haven’t had a multi-error game since February 16.
The next day the Bears went up against the University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane (18-18, ASUN 6-6) March 26, winning 11-6.
The Bears won two out of three games in their series against the Austin Peay State University Governors 16-15, 1-9 and 12-3 March 28-30.
UCA will host the Eastern Kentucky University Colonels April 5 at 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. and April 6 at 12 p.m. for Alumni Weekend at Farris Field.
