Bears Pick Up 2-1 Win Behind Armstrong’s Historic Day

Courtesy University of Central Arkansas Athletics Department

A day after picking up a 10-inning complete game victory over Memphis, Kelsie Armstrong was in fine form again, striking out a school record 18 batters in addition to setting the school record for strikeouts in a season. The Bears took down Arkansas-Monticello by a score of 2-1.

Armstrong (22-9) was in excellent form on the night, picking up her 22nd victory of the season to tie the single season record at Central Arkansas. Armstrong gave up one unearned run on four hits over seven innings of work. She struck out the side in four different innings and recorded two strikeouts in each of the remaining three innings. Katie Slaughter (13-8) took the loss for the Cotton Blossoms (26-21), allowing two runs on six hits in six innings. She struck out one Bear.

Neither team was able to plate a run until the sixth inning, when the Bears (29-15) were able to push a pair across. Right fielder Amy Gunnells got the inning started by blasting a solo home run to left-center field to give Central Arkansas a 1-0 lead. Right fielder Sam Forrest followed with a big hit of her own, hitting a double off of the center field wall. Forrest moved over to third on a fly out before coming in to score on shortstop Lissa Avitia’s RBI infield single.

Arkansas-Monticello fought hard in the top of the seventh, plating an unearned run on three hits and an error, but Armstrong struck out two batters in a row to strand the tying run on second base.

Central Arkansas jumps back into Southland Conference play this weekend, hosting Southeastern Louisiana. The teams will play a double-header beginning at 11:00 on Saturday morning before finishing the series with a single game at noon on Sunday. The weekend will be an exciting one for the Bears, as Saturday will be Central Arkansas’ “K’s for Cancer” day, and Sunday will serve as Military Appreciation Day.