The UCA softball Bears (25-15, 7-4 ASUN) swept a doubleheader against the Eastern Kentucky University Colonels (18-18, 7-4 ASUN), taking both games at Natalie Shock Stadium in Conway on Friday, April 3.
The third game of the series, originally scheduled for Saturday afternoon, was canceled due to inclement weather.
The Bears came out of the gates red hot on Friday, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning to grab a 4-0 advantage.
Two of the four runs in the inning for UCA came off a two run homer to center field by senior infielder Trinity Brandon, her seventh home run of the year.
Brandon would add another RBI in the second inning, driving home junior outfielder Renee Christian on a double down the right field line to put Central Arkansas ahead 5-0 after two innings of play.
While the UCA bats would go cold after the second inning, graduate pitcher Bailie Runner ensured that the early scoring burst would be enough to hold on for the win.
Runner pitched a complete game, not allowing a run until the seventh inning when Eastern Kentucky gave the Bears a scare.
The Colonels scored three runs in the final inning before Runner struck out the final batter to secure a 5-3 UCA victory.
The teams took a short intermission before getting game two underway around 2 p.m.
Sophomore pitcher Lucy Crowder got the start on the mound for the Bears, and kept the EKU offense in check while the UCA offense struggled.
Crowder allowed just 2 runs on seven hits and a walk across 4+ innings pitched. Freshman pitcher Emory Bowlin came on to relieve Crowder in the fifth inning, allowing just a single base runner in the final three innings.
The Bear offense came alive in the bottom of the fifth inning, loading the bases with no outs courtesy of singles from senior catcher Autumn Vessier and junior outfielder Renee Christian, followed by a walk from sophomore infielder Addie Graham.
Following two straight pop ups for outs, sophomore infielder Kaitlyn Graham delivered a two-RBI single up the middle to even up the score at 2-2.
In the bottom of the sixth, sophomore infielder L.J. Smith led off the inning with a single and after advancing to third, freshman infielder Jade Carahan came in to pinch run for Smith.
Carahan would score the go ahead run on a groundout to second base by Addie Graham, giving Central Arkansas a late 3-2 lead.
Bowlin retired the Colonels in order in the top of the seventh to secure the double header sweep for the Bears.
UCA improves to 25-15, and 7-4 in the ASUN after winning both games on Friday.
All UCA softball games can be streamed on ESPN+.