Stephen F. Austin
Central Arkansas
Ladyjacks Can’t Hold Off UCA, Fall 8-6 in Game One of Series
3/19/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Central Arkansas 8, Stephen F. Austin 6
SFA Softball Field • Nacogdoches, Texas
Records: SFA (11-14, 1-2 SLC); UCA (17-9, 3-1 SLC)
Up Next: UCA • Saturday, March 19 • 1/3 p.m.
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Brittany Lewis and Taylor Fraccastoro homered to help the Stephen F. Austin softball team build a 6-0 lead over Central Arkansas, but the Bears scored eight unanswered runs to win 8-6 on Friday afternoon at SFA Softball Field.
The Ladyjacks jumped all over the Bears in the first inning, scoring four runs on six hits to go up 4-0. Courtney Chambers singled through the left side to lead off the inning and scored two batters later on a two-run bomb off Fraccastoro’s bat. Lewis then singled to left field and was standing on second with two outs. Annie Mehringer doubled to deep center field to plate Lewis and scored herself on a Taylor LeFlore RBI single in the next at-bat.
Lewis made it a 6-0 SFA cushion with a two-run shot to left center field in the second inning. Alisa Hamilton reached on an infield single and scored on one of the deepest homers of the year at SFA Softball Field courtesy of Lewis.
The Bears cut the SFA lead to 6-5 with five runs on three hits and two errors in the fourth inning. With two early errors in the frame, all five runs charged to Ladyjack starter Makayla Sikes were unearned.
With the bases loaded in the seventh inning for UCA, Sam Forrest hit a three-run triple to the corner in right field. The bases clearing drive put the Bears up for good at 8-6.
The Ladyjacks outhit the Bears on the day, 10-9, but committed three errors. Chambers, Fraccastoro and Lewis paced SFA at the plate with two hits apiece. With their early homers, Fraccastoro and Lewis pushed their season long ball total to four each.
Sophomore pitcher Callee Guffey (L, 3-3) was charged with the loss after relieving Sikes in the circle for the final three innings. She struck out four and gave up three runs on three hits.
SFA and UCA will close the three-game series on Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m. at SFA Softball Field.
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