Sunday’s doubleheader finished in a split after the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff won its first softball game of the season.
UAPB won the first game against Western Illinois 3-2, then fell 9-5 in the second game at the Torii Hunter Softball Complex.
The first game marked the first win this season for UAPB (1-3). The Lady Lions will try to win the series when the teams play again at 11 a.m. Monday.
Kayla Adams (1-1) picked up the game one win for UAPB after going the distance. She held the Leathernecks to two runs, one earned, on nine hits. She struck out four hitters and walked two.
She held Western Illinois (2-5) scoreless long enough for UAPB to take a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Shalin Charles scored Samaria Jackson with an RBI single, then Janai Mathis scored Amari Broughton with an RBI groundout.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The Leathernecks came back and tied the game in the top of the fifth, but Jackson hit an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth to put the Lady Lions back in the lead for good. Adams pitched scoreless sixth and seventh innings to close out the win.
Western Illinois took control of game two early. After Gabriela Drager gave the Leathernecks a 1-0 lead in the top of the first with an RBI double, Western Illinois scored 6 runs in the second and 2 in the third.
UAPB trailed 9-0 entering the bottom of the fifth and was in danger of getting run-ruled at home, but the Lady Lions fought back with a 4-run inning. Broughton started things off with an RBI double.
In the sixth, Broughton reached base on an error. Jada Carhee scored on the play to make it 9-5. Neither team scored in the seventh as UAPB’s comeback fell short.
Danika Bryant pitched 5.2 relief innings, allowing two runs on 10 hits and no walks with three strikeouts.