Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CONWAY, Ark. – An 11-run, sixth-inning surge allowed the Northwestern State softball team to split a pair of Southland Conference games with Central Arkansas Saturday afternoon, claiming game one 13-4 (six innings), but falling later 8-5, at Farris Field.

With the split, the Lady Demons moved to 18-18 overall, 7-8 in the Southland as UCA improved to 18-26, 7-8.

"I thought we had a great win in the first game today, but we let the second game get too far away from us," said head coach Donald Pickett. "Despite the loss, we had some great things happening in both phases of the game."

In game two, UCA put up a six-run lead after just two innings, picking up two in the first off a two-run double and four more in the second off three hits and a Lady Demon error.

In the second, Sam Forrest singled up the middle with two runners on to put the Bears up 3-0. Pitcher Baylee Gray walked the next batter, loading up the bases, and forced Pickett to make a change in the circle, bringing in Skylar Cagle.

A single to right and a walk put UCA up by five. A missed pop-up at second base gave the Bears their sixth and final run.

Brianna Rodriguez gave NSU life in the sixth when she sent two runners home off a hard single to left. Cheyenne DelaGarza followed with a RBI double to left center, bringing the Lady Demons within three.

Tara McKenney notched the fourth run in the sixth when she led off with a double to center, and advanced to third on the throw. Cali Burke followed with a single to shortstop Hayley Parker, who bobbled the ball and couldn't get the throw off in time, giving McKenney the chance to score. Brittany Virgoe reached next off a double to left center, but was left stranded when UCA's Kylee Studioso struck out three in a row to end the half inning.

Jessie Taylor gave the Bears a four-run advantage in the bottom of the sixth when she sent a two-run homer into the left field bullpen.

In the seventh, Rodriguez led off with a hard shot over the left center field fence for her fourth homer of the season. A pair of fly-outs and a strikeout ended the inning and the game, giving UCA the 8-5 win.

Baylee Gray threw one complete inning and gave up six runs off five hits. Freshman Skylar Cagle entered in the second, striking out four and allowing four hits.

Trailing 3-2 heading into the sixth inning of game one, NSU put two runners on and brought in pinch hitter Micayla Sorosiak. The Sugarland, Texas, native cranked out her third homer of the season to put NSU up 5-3. Tara McKenney stepped up next and reached on a single to right field, only to be driven in off a home run to left from Brittany Virgoe, her sixth of the season.

Cassandra Barefield and Kellye Kincannon followed with the same script as McKenney and Virgoe. Barefield reached on a single to bring up Kincannon, who sent a shot over the left field fence, giving NSU a 9-3 advantage.

Brittney Jones, Brianna Rodriguez and Cheyenne DelaGarza all reached in succession to load up the bases and bring Sorosiak to the plate once again. The freshman singled to left to give the Lady Demons a 10-3 edge and keep the bases loaded. McKenney came to the plate next and brought NSU to 13 runs with a three-run triple that went all the way back to the center field fence. 

The Bears secured two of their three runs in the first off a two-run homer, and added two more notches on the board with single runs in the fifth and sixth.

DelaGarza got things started for the Lady Demons with her first homer of the season in the fourth. Barefield tied the game at two in the fifth with a solo shot to left, her 12th of the season.

Freshman Shelby Sells (5-7) threw a complete game and picked up the win in game one, giving up nine hits and four runs, three of them earned, and striking out four batters.

Rodriguez led from the plate on the day with a 5-for-7 performance and four RBI, followed by Virgoe at 6-for-9 and Burke with a 3-for-7 outing. Virgoe and Burke both picked up one RBI each.

The Lady Demons are set to complete the three-game series with UCA on Sunday at noon, and will return home to host conference newcomer Incarnate Word on Friday starting at five o'clock.