Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 NATCHITOCHES – Kylie Roos fired an extra-inning three-hit shutout in Northwestern State's nine-inning, 1-0 win in the opener Saturday, but Melanie Bryant's three-run home run provided a late cushion for Central Arkansas in an 8-4 victory in the nightcap of a Southland Conference softball doubleheader.
 
The teams cap the three-game series with a noon meeting Sunday at the Lady Demon Softball Complex, broadcast on 100.7 FM KZBL in Natchitoches and streamed free of charge on the NSUDemons.com website. Northwestern is 27-9 overall and 8-5 in the Southland while UCA is 24-13, 6-5.
 
Cassandra Barefield doubled to lead off the bottom of the ninth, setting up the game-winning tally in the opener. Pinch-runner Tashana Triplett moved to third on a beautifully placed bunt single past the third baseman by Natalie Landry, and another crisply executed bunt, by Cali Burke, plated Triplett with the game's only run.
 
Roos (9-2) struck out four and retired the first 11 hitters before an infield single. A ninth-inning double by Bryant was the only hit out of the infield. It came with one out and she moved to third on a flyout, but was stranded there on another fly ball, and was the only UCA runner to get past first base.
 
In the nightcap, UCA used a four-run third inning to take control but the Lady Demons closed within 5-3 with a rally in the bottom of the fifth. Bryant's blast came in the sixth and provided enough padding to allow the visitors to evade another comeback bid by Northwestern in the bottom of the seventh.
 
The Sugar Bears got a two-run double from Tiffany Roby and a two-run single from Taylor Dear to jump on top in the second game. Melissa Bryant cracked a solo homer an inning later.
 
The Lady Demons took advantage of two UCA errors to close the gap in the fifth inning. Cheyenne DelaGarza led off with a single and scored on the second error. Tara McKenney's RBI ground ball made it 5-2, and Brittany Virgoe looped a run-scoring base hit to center that brought NSU within 5-3.
 
A full-count, two-out blast in the top of the sixth by Melanie Bryant reopened the five-run margin, but Northwestern didn't fade away. The Lady Demons got a leadoff single from Jordan Palmer in the bottom of the seventh, and a walk drawn by Shenequia Abby. Brianna Rodriguez delivered a two-out RBI single before UCA's Kelsie Armstrong, the first-game loser, completed her 16-inning workday with a game-ending strikeout to strand two NSU runners, among eight left on base in the nightcap.
 
GAME ONE
 
Central Arkansas 000 000 000 – 0 3 2
Northwestern State 000 000 001 – 1 5 0
 
Kelsie Armstrong and Amy Gunnells. Kylie Roos and Cheyenne DelaGarza. W-Roos (9-2). L-Armstrong (16-8). Leaders:  Cassandra Barefield, NSU (2-4, double), Cali Burke, NSU (0-2, 1 RBI). None out when winning run scored. T-2:06
 
GAME TWO
 
UCA 004 103 0 – 8 9 3
NSU 000 003 1 – 4 6 2
 
Kelsie Armstrong and Melanie Bryant. Kaylee Guidry, Baylee Gray (4) and Cheyenne DelaGarza. W-Armstrong (17-8). L-Guidry (8-3). HR-Melissa Bryant, UCA; Melanie Bryant, UCA. Leaders-Melissa Bryant 4-4, 3 runs, 1 RBI; Melinda Bryant 1-4, 2 runs, 3 RBI. T-2:01. A-234.