Central Arkansas 11, Nicholls 4
Nicholls 6, Central Arkansas 5 (8)
CONWAY, Ark. – The Central Arkansas Bears and Nicholls Colonels closed out their Southland Conference series with a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon. The Bears defeated the Colonels 11-4 in the day’s first game, before suffering their first SLC loss of the season in the second, falling 6-5 in eight innings.
In the first game of the twin-bill, Nicholls (18-13, 6-6 SLC) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first thanks to a sacrifice fly from first baseman Alexis Huss, but the lead proved to be short-lived, as Central Arkansas (23-9. 11-1 SLC) exploded for five runs on three hits in the bottom half of the frame. Third baseman Sam Forrest got the inning started, reaching on an error, before advancing to third on a double from right fielder Briana Whisenhunt. After second baseman Sarah Bigej loaded the bases with a walk, catcher Jessie Taylor continued her hot streak, blasting the ball over the bullpen in left field to put the Bears up 4-1 with her ninth home run of the season. The Bears added a run later in the inning, when centerfielder Amy Gunnells drove in shortstop Hayley Parker with a single to right field to make it 5-1.
Nicholls got a pair of runs back in the top of the second on a two-run bomb from catcher Kayla Prater but Central Arkansas got one of them back in the third on an RBI triple form Parker.
The Bears tacked on two more runs in the fourth, as Bigej hit a two-run homer to center field for her fourth home run of the season.
After Nicholls got another sacrifice fly from Huss in the fifth, the Bears went to work again in the sixth. Forrest again got the inning going for the Bears, lashing a double to center field before being lifted for pinch runner Brianna McArthur. A groundout moved the freshman to third and a wild pitch brought her in to make it 9-4 in favor of the Bears. Bigej then drew another walk before Taylor hit another ball over the bullpen in left, picking up her second home run of the day and making it 11-4.
Kylee Studioso (19-4) picked up the complete game victory for the Bears, adding to her nation-leading total by limiting the Colonels to four runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out eight. Taylor Hastings (3-2) got the start for Nicholls, giving up five runs, three earned, on three hits and five walks in 1.2 innings. Hannah Haydel relieved Hastings, giving up six runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out three in 4.1 innings.
The day’s second game again saw the Colonels grab a 1-0 lead, this time thanks to an RBI single from Prater. Just like the earlier in the day, the Bears responded immediately, as Bigej launched her second homer of the day to left-center field to even the score at 1-1 after one inning of play.
It was the Colonels who would find a crooked number, putting up four runs on four hits in the top of the second. Second baseman Danielle Phillips started the inning with a swinging bunt single, then stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. A ground out brought her in, before third baseman Haley Stevenson ripped a double through the right side to get the Colonels going again. A groundout moved Stevenson to third and a single up the middle from centerfielder Hayley Parkerson brought in Stevenson and, after a wild pitch moved her to second, a single from shortstop Brooke Morris scored her. Huss then reached on an error and Morris came around to score to put the Colonels up 5-1.
Central Arkansas got a crooked number of its own in the third to again even the score, this time at 5-5. Gunnells got the inning starter with a walk and moved to second on a single from Forrest. After Whisenhunt loaded the bases with a bunt single, Bigej ripped a single to center to drive in Gunnells and Forrest. With runners on the corners, the Bears executed a double steal to bring in Whisenhunt, and then Taylor came through again, singling back up the middle to drive in Bigej.
Both team s were unable to find another run for the rest of regulation, sending the game to extra innings. In the top of the eighth, Colonel left fielder Jessica Taylor opened frame with an infield single and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Parkerson. Following a groundout, Huss doubled down the left field line to drive in Taylor and put the Colonels in front 6-5.
The Bears got the tying run to second base in the bottom of the inning, but were unable to push it across.
Hastings again got the start for Nicholls, giving up five runs on six hits and three walks in 2.1 innings. Haydel earned the win in relief, keeping the Bears off the board over the final 5.2 innings of the game. She gave up three hits and three walks and struck out eight Bears. Shivaun Landeros (4-5) went the distance for Central Arkansas, allowing six runs, four earned, on 13 hits and two walks. She struck out one.
Taylor led the Central Arkansas offense on the day, going 5-for-8 with seven RBI and two homeruns, while Bigej was 3-for-5 with a pair of home runs and five RBI.