Sugar Bears split second day of Short/Brown Tournament

CONWAY, Ark. — Central Arkansas closed the Michelle Short/Adam Brown Tournament with a split double-header on Monday, giving up a late lead against No. 13 Oklahoma State before earning a second win over South Dakota State.

The Bears moved to 5-8 on the young season, and improved to 3-1 at home. After struggling offensively to start the season, the lineup put through 29 runs in four games, with at least five in all four games.

Game One: UCA 5, Oklahoma State 9

After giving up a run in the top of the first, the Bears went to work against the nationally-ranked Cowgirls.

With two outs, Addie Grahamput down an infield hit to get on base, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Kaitlyn Graham walked, and Madi Young singled to load the bases.

Mya January gutted out a full-count walk to send a run home. Lilly Hood and LJ Smith followed that up with back-to-back two run hits to break open a 5-1 lead for the Bears.

Oklahoma State scratched across two runs in the second to climb back into it, and UCA wouldn’t get another good chance until the third.

The middle of the lineup got on base in three consecutive at bats, loading the bases with zero outs. But back-to-back fielder’s choices and a strikeout ended the threat without the Bears finding even a single run.

Until the fifth inning, when the Cowgirls cut the lead to one, the defense and pitching of the Bears was holding up.

Things went south in the sixth, as the Cowgirls took advantage of some well-timed offense to score five runs and take the lead.

But in the sixth and seventh innings, the Bears only got one more runner on base, with two outs in the seventh.

Game Two: UCA 6, South Dakota State 3

Just like game one, the Bears came out of the gates quickly against the Jackrabbits.

Renee Christian opened the first with a hit on the first pitch of the bottom of the first, and stole second to get in scoring position before the visitors could blink. Kylie Griffin doubled, and the defense went home to prevent Christian from scoring.

That lasted just three pitches, as Addie Graham knocked a double down the right field line to score both runners. Graham would go home on a double by Kaitlyn Graham, and UCA was up 3-0 after one.

South Dakota State scored one in the second and one in the third to cut the lead to one, but only really generated offense on the long ball, otherwise struggling to put runners on.

The Bears added one in the third; Graham again got on base, this time a single and a steal to second.

Mya January finished the job with a hit to left field, and the freshman on second scored on the play.

Later, in the fifth inning, the small-ball game of the Bears continued to produce results. Griffin and Graham singled to put themselves on first and second.

A sacrifice bunt moved the pair to second and third, and a passed ball, plus a bad throw, gave both runners a clear way to score, making it 6-2.

SDSU threatened in the seventh, plating a run and loading the bases, but the Bears were able to get out of the jam with a pop up to short to end the game.

UCA hits the field again on Friday, playing in the Coach B Classic hosted by SIU. The midweek set for Tuesday against Louisiana Tech was canceled, with no plans to reschedule.

Information from UCA Sports is included in this story.