Bears enter ASUN softball championship as top seed

CONWAY, Ark. — Thursday morning in Jacksonville, No. 1 seed Central Arkansas steps onto the field at the UNF Softball Complex for one of the biggest games of its season.

The Bears are set to square off against the No. 4 seeded Jacksonville Dolphins at 11 a.m. on ESPN+.

It’s the kind of matchup that the Bears have earned — and they’ve done it the right way.

UCA enters the ASUN Championship with a 34-18-1 overall record and a 16-6-1 mark in conference play, numbers that reflect just how much this program has grown over the course of the 2026 season.

The Bears didn’t stumble down the stretch, either. Over the final ten regular-season games, they went 7-2-1.

More telling, UCA has gone 13-3-1 since the 3-3 start to ASUN play, a stretch that signals a team that found itself and didn’t let go.

In fact, the Bears haven’t dropped back-to-back conference games since that opening weekend loss at North Alabama.

The last statement of the regular season was loud. UCA swept Lipscomb across three games, outscoring the Bisons 24-3 in that series.

It was the kind of dominant exit that sends a message to the rest of the field heading into tournament week.

That dominance didn’t go unnoticed at the conference level. The Bears collected six all-conference selections, including three First Team All-ASUN nods.

Trinity Brandon, Addie Graham and Emma Robertson each earned first-team recognition. Kaitlyn Graham landed on the second team, Bailie Runner was named to the third team and Emory Bowlin picked up All-Freshman honors.

This group’s writing its own chapter

When it comes to the ASUN Championship, UCA’s 2023 run still resonates.

The Bears won five games in 52 hours that year to earn the program’s second-ever NCAA Regional appearance.

But not a single player from that run is still on the roster. This year’s Bears don’t carry 2023 on their backs, they carry their own identity.

Central Arkansas has been a top-three seed in every ASUN Championship since joining the league.

Last year brought an earlier tournament exit than expected, which makes this week’s opportunity feel that much more purposeful.

The Bears come in with a program record-setting offense and something to prove on the postseason stage.

What Jacksonville brings to matchup

The Dolphins aren’t here by accident.

Jacksonville finished the regular season 33-19 overall and 16-8 in ASUN play and they showed Thursday’s opponent they mean business by knocking off No. 5 Florida Gulf Coast in Wednesday’s opening round, 6-2, with a pair of home runs fueling the win.

The UCA-Jacksonville regular-season series already went to the Bears. The two programs met in April at JU, where UCA swept the Dolphins with a couple of shutout victories.

Tournament settings reset the script and the Dolphins have a lineup that can do damage in a hurry.

Leading the way offensively for Jacksonville is Sarah Beth Brake, a Troy transfer who batted .404 during the regular season while adding 14 doubles and 13 home runs.

That combination of contact and pop makes her one of the more complete hitters in the ASUN. Alongside Brake is Jaida Thomas, the ASUN Freshman of the Year.

Thomas hit .366 with ten doubles, seven triples and four home runs — the kind of versatile offensive numbers that keep defenses honest.

In the pitching circle, the Dolphins lean on Jacy Harrelson. The sophomore right-hander owns a 2.31 ERA and completed 13 games during the regular season.

In 179 innings of work, she struck out 122 batters — durability and effectiveness in one package.

The Bears and Dolphins are lined up for an 11 a.m. first pitch Thursday. Live stats will also be available online for fans who want to follow along.