Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Magnolia, Ark. – The Southwest Baptist University softball team picked up a pair of victories in the final day of the Southern Arkansas Invitational on Sunday. SBU took down Rogers State 3-2 before defeating Newman 3-1. With the wins, the Bearcats improve to 3-3 on the young season.

In the first game of the day against Rogers State SBU struck first in the bottom of the third inning when Stef Lischke smacked a solo homerun to left field to give SBU a 1-0 lead. The score remained 1-0 heading into the final inning when Rogers State responded with a pair of runs to take the 2-1 lead. However, the Bearcats answered back in the bottom half of the inning. With one out Kori Hillenburg singled to left center, putting the tying run on first base. After a popout, Kacey Ayers hit a walk-off pinch hit home run to right field to give the Bearcats a 3-2 victory. Ayers also picked up the victory on the mound, throwing a complete game while striking out 10 batters.

In the win over Newman, the Bearcats jumped ahead in the top of the fourth inning. With one out in the inning, Caitlyn Cooner singled to center field and was brought home by an rbi double to left center by Dana Graves to put SBU up 1-0. In the fifth inning, the Bearcats extended their lead to 2-0 when Catlin Evans hit an rbi single to left center to bring home Stormy Christerson. Newman responded in the bottom half of the inning, scoring one run, but SBU added another run in the seventh on an Evans rbi double as the Bearcats went on to claim a 3-1 victory. In the circle Hunter Middleton picked up her first victory of the season, throwing 4 innings and allowing one run, while Ayers picked up the save by throwing three scoreless innings.

The Bearcats will return to action on Friday, February 12 for the UAM Classic. SBU will take on Ouachita Baptist at 9:00 a.m. followed by Upper Iowa at 1:00 p.m. from Bentonville, Arkansas.