UCA Muscles Past Alcorn in Doubleheader Tuesday

CONWAY, Ark. – A hot Central Arkansas squad grabbed a pair from the Alcorn State University softball program 10-4 and 13-1 Tuesday at Farris Field.
 
Alcorn (1-16) led 1-0 in the first inning of both games, but the Sugar Bears (12-9) answered with big innings offensively to catapult ahead.
 
UCA entered the game having swept 25th-ranked McNeese State over the weekend.
 
In game one, freshman Amari Ramsey led it off with a double to right field in the first inning and scored on a hit up the middle by senior Taylor Hughes.
 
The Sugar Bears responded with nine runs on two hits and two errors to take a 9-1 advantage in the second frame.
 
"We just couldn't get out of the second inning and it killed us. UCA found every hole possible. Ambria [Dorsey] got a little frustrated, but she made good pitches and there isn't much you can do about jamming hitters and the results are bloopers dropping in," said Alcorn head coach Josef Rankin. "We had the bases loaded and their center fielder made a diving catch to rob us of an extra base hit in the gap. Sometimes the breaks aren't falling your way which can change the course of the game."
 
The Lady Braves tallied a second run in the third. It came on a walk and two hits including an RBI single to center field by junior Victoria Tyler.
 
Alcorn further trimmed into the deficit 9-4 after two more runs in the fourth. It started with a lead-off walk by sophomore Alicia Hill, and freshman Desirea Lindsey ripped an RBI triple down the right field line to plate the runner. Lindsey scored on a sacrifice fly by Ramsey.
 
The Lady Braves tallied seven hits in the game including two from Hughes.
 
Sophomore Ambria Dorsey got the start and recorded a strikeout in 1.1 innings. Senior Robin Harrison entered in relief and didn't allow an earned run in 4.2 frames.
 
Rio Sanchez threw a complete-game and picked up the win for UCA.
 
In game two, Ramsey again started it off with a double. She advanced to third on a groundout and scored on an RBI groundout by Hughes.
 
"The first inning of game two was great for us offensively. Amari led off with a double. Mariah [Ortiz] had a selfless at-bat and move her to third with a ground ball to the right which allowed Taylor to do her job and get Amari in," Rankin said.
 
Alcorn also recorded hits in the game from Lindsey, junior Kaylene Smith and sophomore Taja Landry.
 
UCA's Libby Morris went three-for-three with six RBI and two runs scored in the contest.
 
"It's really a matter of our program's mindset, making a shift to stop 'wishing' we can compete and win against mid-majors or power five teams. Sooner or later, we have to 'know' we can compete no matter what the scoreboard says in terms of the score or opponent," Rankin said. "UCA is a great program. Coach Kuhn is doing an awesome job, but we have to make a decision to compete with great energy more consistently on every pitch. We see flashes of it, but it's not on every pitch."
 
It was the first games in nine days for the Lady Braves who have now used 16 different batting orders in 17 contests this year.
 
Alcorn's three-game series against Texas Southern has been rescheduled to May 3-4 due to the strong threat of rain. The Lady Braves will have the weekend off from competition and return next Tuesday when they travel to Southeastern Louisiana for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.
 
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