Right after taking the lead Thursday afternoon, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff learned it would have to wait until the next day to finish its comeback.
UAPB’s softball season opener against Western Illinois at the Torii Hunter Softball Complex was delayed due to darkness with the Lady Lions leading 5-3 entering the seventh inning. The game will resume at noon Friday ahead of the scheduled second and third games of the three-game set.
Head coach Michael Bumpers said it is frustrating having to postpone the final inning of the game when the Lady Lions had the momentum.
“That’s another reason that we need all the help we can get to get some lights out here so we don’t have to stop games and so we can finish,” Bumpers said.
UAPB trailed 3-2 entering the bottom of the sixth but got four straight one-out singles. Sophomore left fielder Ryen Gaddis tied the game with her single, which scored center fielder Chasney Cooper, before catcher Angelina Rivas dropped a blooper just inside the right field foul line to bring home right fielder Shakaidria Hubbard to give UAPB the lead.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The next hitter, designated player Kaydrian Fields, grounded out to third, but Gaddis beat the throw home to give the Lady Lions a 2-run lead. Western Illinois (1-4) relief pitcher Lillie Wools got a fly ball to right to end the inning.
Bumpers said his three left-handed hitters each have speed on the bases.
“I know if we can get the first one on, the rest will kind of start taking care of itself, because speed is something that we’re building on and what we’ve built with this team,” Bumpers said. “Having them back-to-back-to-back like that is going to help us out tremendously this year.”
As the Lady Lions took the field three outs away from a win, the officials got with the coaches and determined a few minutes before 6 p.m. the field had gotten too dark to continue the game. UAPB does not have field lights at its softball complex, preventing it from playing games at night.
UAPB led 1-0 early after Fields hit an RBI single in the bottom of the first, but WIU tied the game on an error in the top of the third. UAPB shortstop Janiah Wilson, whose error allowed the run to score, made up for the mistake by drawing a bases-loaded walk in the bottom half of the inning to restore the UAPB lead, 2-1.
The Leathernecks’ big inning was the top of the fifth. First baseman Maria Luna hit a 2-RBI double with no outs to give WIU its first lead, 3-2. After the next hitter singled, UAPB pulled starting pitcher Danika Bryant.
Karis Stewart relieved her and walked the first hitter she saw before getting a ground ball, line out and pop up to leave the bases loaded and prevent any further damage.
Bryant finished her outing having allowed 3 runs, 1 earned, on four hits and seven walks with three strikeouts.
Stewart worked around a one-out walk in the sixth to keep the Lady Lions within a run entering the bottom of the sixth. Bumpers said UAPB will stick with Stewart in the circle for the seventh inning when the game resumes Friday.
WIU starter Audrey Clark went 3.0 innings, allowing 2 earned runs on one hit and six walks with five strikeouts.
This was UAPB’s first game despite the NCAA Division I softball season beginning last weekend. Bumpers said the Lady Lions were scheduled to play in a tournament at Tarleton State to open the year, but Tarleton rescheduled that tournament late, and UAPB couldn’t find a replacement opponent or tournament on short notice.
WIU played in a tournament in Rosemont, Ill., last weekend, losing its first four games before beating Detroit Mercy, 9-8.