Conway, Ark. - Central Arkansas third baseman Tarra Underhill blasted a pair of two-run homers in the second and fourth inning as the Bears ended Sam Houston's 2011 softball season with a 6-0 shutout Sunday afternoon at Farris Field.
UCA pitcher Kelsie Armstrong (16-19) limited the Bearkats to four hits in a contest Sam Houston had to win in order to qualify for the Southland Conference post-season tournament. The Kats did not have a runner reach any further than second base in the game.
First baseman Kim Damian, catcher Sarah Allison, pitcher Cecilia Castillo and second baseman Alyssa Coggins produced Sam Houston's hits.
Courtney Schoenemann and Castillo were in the pitching circle for the Bearkats with Schoeneman starting and taking the loss.
The Bears totaled seven hits as UCA ended the year 26-30. Central Arkansas placed eighth in Southland Conference race with a 12-18 league mark.
Sam Houston ended the 2011 season with a 26-30 overall record, finishing seventh in the league with a 14-15 Southland slate.
The loss gave UCA a series victory and put Northwestern State in the Southland Tournament . Sam Houston will host the event beginning Thursday at Bearkat Softball Complex. Other teams in the tournament are A&M-Corpus Christi, UT-Arlington, Texas State, McNeese State and UTSA.
Game times for the Southland tournament on Thursday and Friday are 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. On the tournament's final day, game nine will begin at 10:30 a.m. with the championship finals starting at 2 p.m.
Tickets for the Southland Conference Southland Tournament are available on line at www.gobearkats.com/tickets or at the Sam Houston ticket office in the Ron Mafrige Field House at Bowers Stadium. Ticket office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The ticket office telephone is (936) 294-1729.
