Bears Battle Back to Reach ASUN Championship Final Saturday

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It wasn’t a clean Friday, but it was good enough.

Central Arkansas dropped the morning game of a pivotal double-dip at the 2026 ASUN Softball Championship, falling 8-2 to No. 2 Stetson.

That result pushed the Bears into the loser’s bracket, where they’d have to win or go home. They won.

UCA turned things around in a big way in the nightcap, knocking off No. 4 Jacksonville 6-1 to stay alive and book a ticket to Saturday’s championship final.

The Bears improved to 36-19-1 on the season and’ll get another crack at the Hatters with the conference title on the line.

A Rough Start Against Hatters

Stetson wasted no time in Game 1, putting up four runs in the first inning before Central Arkansas had even settled in.

The Bears managed to get a couple of runners on base early, but couldn’t cash them in. Stetson then added two more in the second, making it a 6-0 game before the third inning arrived.

UCA finally got on the board in the third. Grace Molitor reached on a bunt to open the frame, then moved to second when Renee Christian singled.

Trinity Brandon drove Molitor in to get the Bears their first run of the game and Emma Robertson followed with a first-pitch single to score Christian and make it 6-2. That’d be as close as it got.

The Hatters answered with two more in the fifth to push the cushion back to six and the Bears couldn’t generate anything further.

Bailie Runner took the loss, falling to 15-7. The defeat sent UCA into the elimination bracket, where the afternoon would take on added weight.

Bears Find Their Footing Against Jacksonville

The pressure was real in Game 2. It didn’t help that Jacksonville’s Kate Linkletter led off the bottom of the first with a solo home run, putting the Bears in a hole right away.

The offense again struggled early, leaving runners stranded as the lineup went through its first time around.

The 1-0 score held all the way through four and a half innings. With outs running short and a season on the line, the Bears got a breakthrough in the bottom of the fifth.

Gracie St. Hilaire slapped a single over the shortstop to start the rally. Molitor laid down a bunt, but the Jacksonville infield couldn’t handle it, leaving both runners safe.

Christian moved them up with a sacrifice bunt and Addie Graham drew a walk to load the bases. That brought Brandon to the plate in a moment that’d define the afternoon. She worked the count full, then launched a hit to right center that cleared the bases and gave UCA a 3-1 lead.

Molitor, Freshman Pitchers Deliver the Finishing Touches

The Bears’ defense held firm in the top of the sixth, stranding two Jacksonville runners at second and third. Going back to work at the plate, LJ Smith beat out a single to the second baseman.

Back-to-back errors by the Dolphins allowed Lilly Hood and St. Hilaire to reach, loading the bases again.

Molitor then came through with a two-run single up the middle and Graham added a sixth run as the order cycled back around.

UCA took a 6-1 lead into the seventh and Jacksonville didn’t have an answer.

In the circle, freshman Jaleigh White started and went 5.1 innings, picking up her sixth win of the year.

Freshman Emory Bowlin came on in relief and got the final five outs to close it out. The two combined to throw 97 pitches and issued just two walks across the game.

What’s Next

UCA now will face No. 2 Stetson in the ASUN Championship Final on Saturday with first pitch set for 9:30 a.m. — an earlier start due to potential weather concerns in Jacksonville.

The Bears will need to beat the Hatters twice to claim the conference championship and they know it won’t be easy after giving up eight runs in the morning game.

Still, UCA showed it can bounce back and Saturday’s a brand new game.