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CONWAY, Ark. – Facing off against Southland Conference foe Central Arkansas in a non-conference matchup, HBU got out to a six-run lead and held on to earn a 6-5 victory over the Bears at Farris Field on Sunday.
Senior
Cecilia Bauer got the scoring started in the top of the second with her second home run of the season, a solo shot to right center.
Brooke Bushman followed with a single to right and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by
Amber Lotz before scoring the second run of the inning on an error by the Bears' shortstop.
The Husky (7-5) offense got going again in the fourth with a leadoff double from Lotz immediately followed by an RBI double off the bat of
Libby Brown, prompting a pitching change by Central Arkansas (4-10). Brown moved up to third on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by
Heidi Jaquez for a 4-0 lead.
Freshman
Megan Hiers extended the HBU lead to five, leading off the fifth by driving a 2-0 offering over the left field fence for her first career home run. Jaquez doubled to open the HBU sixth and scored two batters later on a
Nicole Shedd single through the left side and stake the Huskies to a 6-0 lead through five and a half.
Starting pitcher
Stephanie Buenrostro held the Bears scoreless and allowed just three hits through her first five innings but UCA broke through in the sixth. Hannah Stirton led the inning off with a homer to left center to get the Bears on the board. An error by HBU allowed the next batter to reach followed by a single and double, bringing home run number two. With two on and nobody out, Cylla Hill drove a three-run home run out to left to get UCA within one. After a pitching change by the Huskies, bringing
Emily Mueller on to preserve the lead, a walk put the tying run on first. A fielder's choice got the lead runner and the first out of the inning before a big double play groundout to second ended the threat.
Mueller then closed out the seventh in order to pick up the save.
Buenrostro improved to 3-1 in the circle on the season, allowing five runs total with four of them earned over five innings of work. The junior gave up seven hits while striking out one and walking one. Mueller's save was her second the year, working two scoreless, hitless innings.
Shedd rapped out three hits in four at bats, picking up one RBI. Bauer was the only other Husky with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and one RBI, but every starter collected at least one base hit. Jaquez's double was her sixth of the season as the freshman went 1-for-2 and raised her season average to .439.
The Huskies finished the Central Arkansas Invitational with a 3-1 record.
HBU will be off for a week and a half before traveling to Lake Charles, La. for a mid-week, non-conference game against defending Southland Conference champion McNeese on Wednesday, March 8, at 6:00 p.m.
