Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Bentonville, Ark. – The Southwest Baptist University softball team fell in two close one-run games in Bentonville on Friday. SBU fell to Ouachita Baptist 3-2 before falling to Upper Iowa 5-4 in extra innings. At the conclusion of the day, SBU now stands at 3-5 on the season.

In SBU's opening game against Ouachita Baptist, the Tigers jumped out on top in the bottom of the first inning as the Bearcats trailed 2-0. The score remained tied until the top of the fifth inning where SBU would plate two runs. Rachel Ray reached base on an error, followed by a hit batsman, and a Caitlyn Cooner single to right field to load the bases. Ray came around to score on another OBU error, and two batters later Stormy Christerson hit a sacrifice fly to score Kaley Hansen and tie the game at 2-2. However, OBU responded in the bottom half of the inning with a run as SBU trailed 3-2. Despite allowing only three hits all game, the Bearcats would fall 3-2. On the mound Kacey Ayers threw a complete game, allowing only one earned run while striking out 5.

In the Bearcats' second game of the day UIU jumped ahead in the bottom of the first inning, 1-0, before SBU was able to come back and tie the game at 1-1 in the top of the third on a solo homerun from Kori Hillenburg. SBU took their first lead of the game in the top of the fifth when Hillenburg hit an rbi double to center field, scoring Abby Martin, and putting SBU up 2-1. Upper Iowa responded in the bottom of the fifth with a run, but the Bearcats re-took the lead in the following inning. Ray led the inning off with a bunt single, was sacrificed over to second, advanced to third on an error, and eventually came home on a passed ball to put SBU up 3-2. UIU was down to their last out before hitting a game tying solo homerun, forcing extra inning. In the top of the eighth a Dana Graves rbi single to right field put SBU up 4-3, but two Upper Iowa runs in the bottom half of the inning lead to SBU falling 5-4.

SBU will return to action on Saturday, February 13 when they play Illinois-Springfield at 11:00 a.m. followed by a 1:00 p.m. match-up with Southern Nazarene from Bentonville, Arkansas.