Stephen F. Austin
Central Arkansas
UCA Completes Sweep
4/25/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 25, 2010
CONWAY, Ark. - Central Arkansas notched a pair of victories Sunday against Stephen F. Austin to wrap up an improbable sweep of the Ladyjacks, who came into the series tied for the Southland Conference lead. The Bears won Game 1, 4-3, then took a 5-0 verdict in the finale to hand SFA just its second league sweep of the season and only its third since head coach Gay McNutt took over the program three years ago.
The losses drop SFA's record to 24-16 overall and 16-8 in Southland play. The sweep by UCA, combined with Texas State's 2-1 series loss against UTSA, leaves the Ladyjacks a half-game out of first place. The Bears improve to 22-27 on the year and 10-13 in league action. They came into the series tied for ninth in the Southland standings.
The Bears wrapped up the series victory with a walk-off home run in Game 2. UCA's Kasey Britt homered to right on the first pitch of the seventh inning to break a 3-3 tie.
The Bears had tied the score two innings earlier with a pair of runs on three hits and an error.
SFA had led the entire game to that point. The Ladyjacks opened the game with a leadoff home run by Bethany Brown. Kendal Harper followed with a single. She stole second and took third on a throwing error. Harper scored on a squeeze play with Jessica Arana putting down the bunt.
UCA answered in like fashion in the bottom half. After Candice Gaunt singled and stole second, she moved to third on a ground ball. She then came home to score on a squeeze bunt by Britt to make it a 2-1 game.
SFA regained its two-run cushion in the second. Amber Price got a two-out single through the left side, then scored on a double to center by Brown. Brown advanced to third on a bunt single by Harper, who then stole second to give the Ladyjacks two runners in scoring position. But they were left there on a strikeout to end the inning.
SFA left two on again in the third and the seventh, but couldn't get another run across.
Angela White (12-7) took the loss for SFA. She was charged with three earned runs on seven hits and three walks. The freshman recorded two strikeouts in six innings.
Brown, Harper, Price and Ashley Struchtemeyer put up two hits apiece to lead SFA at the plate. Kayla Gutowski and Brittany Caruthers got one base knock each.
UCA finished off the sweep with a 5-0 shutout in the finale.
The Bears led right from the start. Gauntt led off the first with a single, then stole second. She took third on a failed pick-off attempt, then scored on a ground-out.
UCA added three runs in the fourth. A leadoff infield single, followed by a hit batsman and a walk, loaded the bases with one out. Rachel Baucom then doubled to left-center, bringing in two runs, and Sarah Garcia grounded out to plate the third run.
Katie McGregor got an RBI single in the sixth to set the final score.
SFA stranded runners aboard in all but two innings, including leaving the bases loaded in the fifth. Brown, Harper and Karissa Jones each hit safely once, and Gutowski went 2-for-3.
Starter Monika Covington (11-9) was charged with four earned runs on six hits and a walk. She struck out six.
The Ladyjacks will be back in action next weekend when they travel to Thibodaux, La., to take on Nicholls in their final road series of the year. SFA will then finish the regular season by hosting Texas State the following weekend.
-- SFA --
