BEAUMONT, Texas – With the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, Kimberly Mattox collected an RBI single as Lamar University defeat Central Arkansas, 2-1, in game two of the doubleheader. The win in game two, gave Lamar a doubleheader split. LU dropped game one, 8-5.
 
In the second game, Kelly Meeuwsen tied the LU career hits record as she picked up her 201st hit of her career.
 
The Cardinals and Bears close out its three-game set tomorrow with a single game at 12 p.m. The start time has been moved up an hour because of inclement weather late in the afternoon.
 
Game One
Lamar came out of the gates and scored the first run of the game. With a runner on second base, Jade Lewis singled, which scored Shannon Klaus putting LU head 1-0. LU looked to extend the lead as Savana Guidry followed with a single, moving Lewis to third. However, both runners would be left stranded on base.
 
Cards starter Erin Kyle kept the Bears off balance over the first three innings but ran into trouble in the top of the fourth inning. In the fourth, Central Arkansas took advantage of two Cards errors and had five hits, which plated five runs and UCA took a 5-1 lead.
 
The Bears extended its lead to 8-1 over the Cards in the top of the fifth inning. UCA scored three runs on two hits. Heading to the bottom of the fifth, LU trailed 8-1.
 
Lamar's bats came to life in the bottom of the fifth inning. Savana Mata led off with a walk and Kelly Meeuwsen doubled to left center putting two runners in scoring position. Klaus followed with a single up the middle that scored one. With runner on the corners Klaus and Meeuwsen pulled off a double steal that scored another. Klaus came into score on a Guidry single and after five innings LU trimmed the UCA lead to 8-4.
 
The Cards continued to battle and in the bottom of the sixth, Taylor Murphy singled to center. She came around to score on a wild throw by the UCA centerfielder. LU could not get any closer than three, 8-5, as they were retired in order in the bottom of the seventh and LU dropped game one, 8-5.
 
Game Two
After a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the first, the Cards looked to get the offense going in the bottom half. Klaus singled with one out and then stole second base. Jade Lewis followed with a walk putting two one with two outs. However, they would be stranded on base.
 
Following the first inning, Cards starter Aaliyah Ruiz and Bears Starter Rio Sanchez limited both offenses. From the second through the top of the sixth innings both pitchers scattered three hits. After five and a half innings, the game was scoreless, and both teams had two hits.
 
Lamar's second hit in game two came in the bottom of the third inning when Meeuwsen singled to left field. The hit was her 201st of her career, which tied the LU career hits record with Ashley McDowell.
 
In the bottom of the sixth inning, LU looked to get the momentum going at the plate. After a groundout, Klaus singled to the shortstop. Shaina Amir came up and hit a high long fly ball to left field that the Bears leftfielder chased down and caught at the fence for the second out. Lewis singled putting two runners on, but the Cards could not score.
 
Neither team would score in the seventh innings and the game was ending to extra innings. The eighth inning, Sanchez and Cards pitcher Julia Voluntad sat the hitters down in order and we went to the ninth inning, scoreless.
 
In the top of the ninth, Crutchmer reached on a Cardinals error. After a fly out, Crutchmer went to second on a wild pitch. She moved up to third when Morris singled through the left side putting runners on the corners. Hill would hit a sac fly scoring Crutchmer and putting UCA ahead 1-0.
 
Heading to the bottom of the ninth inning, LU needed one run to force another extra inning. Amir led off the frame by getting hit by a pitch. She went to second on a sac bunt. With one out and the tying run on second, Guidry reached on an error putting two on. Taylor Davis followed as the Bears had its second error of the inning loading the bases. With the bases loaded and one out, Murphy drew a bases loaded walk, which scored one tying the game at 1-1.
 
With the game tied at 1-1 with one out, LU's head coach Amy Hooks called for Kimberly Mattox to pinch hit. After taking a strike, Mattox hit an RBI single down the right field line, scoring one and giving the Cards a 2-1 victory over the Bears.
 
With the doubleheader split, the Cards improve to 16-20 on the season and 7-4 in SLC play. Central Arkansas falls to 18-18 on the season and 5-6 in SLC action.