UCA clinches ASUN Gold title on Senior Day with 9-1 win

CONWAY, Ark. — It was a Friday afternoon in Conway that had a little bit of everything — honors, history and a division title. Central Arkansas softball wrapped up the ASUN Gold Division Championship with a convincing 9-1 run-rule victory over Lipscomb at Natalie Shock Stadium, closing out the regular season in style on Senior Day.

The Bears finished the regular season at 34-18-1 overall and 16-6-1 in conference play.

It’s the kind of record that puts a program right where it wants to be heading into postseason competition and UCA’s roster made sure the final home game of the year meant something.

Senior catcher Emma Robertson saved some of her best for last.

She connected on her 14th home run of the season, a blast off a 2-1 count in the first inning that drove in three runs and tied the UCA Softball single-season home run record.

Robertson finished the afternoon going 2-for-3 with four RBIs — the most productive line of any Bear on the day.

Early burst sets the tone

The Bears didn’t wait long to take control. Renee Christian and Addie Graham both drew walks to open things up in the bottom of the first.

Two batters later, Robertson sent one deep to put UCA up by three. The Bears kept pushing from there.

Kaitlyn Graham drew a walk that forced a Lipscomb pitching change and pinch runner Sydney Kildow came in immediately, moving to third on an LJ Smith single.

Lilly Hood brought Kildow home with a sacrifice fly and Grace Molitor capped the frame with an RBI single to left field. Five runs in one inning before Lipscomb knew what hit them.

Freshman pitcher Jaleigh White handled the mound work for UCA, retiring the Bisons in order in the first inning — the third straight game she’d done so.

She worked all five innings, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out three and walking nobody. White picked up the win to improve to 5-1 on the season.

The second and third innings moved along quickly for both sides. Lipscomb broke through in the fourth, plating its only run of the game when Kyla Jobe scored on a Presley Rader RBI.

But that’s as far as the Bisons got. White and the defense held them off the board the rest of the way.

Bears pour it on late

UCA put the game away for good in the home half of the fourth. A Lipscomb error and a Gracie St. Hilaire walk put two runners in scoring position.

Molitor laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to slide both runners into scoring position and Addie Graham delivered with a crack through the 5-6 hole to bring them both home, pushing the lead to seven.

Trinity Brandon walked and Robertson followed with an RBI single up the middle. Graham then added one more to score the ninth and final run of the game.

Lipscomb went down in order in the fifth and the celebration was officially on.

UCA’s offense drew six walks in the contest and collected six hits.

Robertson led the way with two of those hits and four RBIs. Addie Graham finished with one hit and two RBIs to go along with two runs scored.

The Bears took advantage of opportunities all afternoon, turning baserunners into crooked numbers with consistent at-bats throughout the lineup.

The Bears now wait to see how the rest of the ASUN conference series play out to determine their exact postseason seeding.

What’s already guaranteed is a top-two spot in the bracket after winning the Gold Division — a solid position heading into what the program hopes is a deep tournament run.