CONWAY, Ark. — How’ bout them Bears! A month after beating the Razorbacks for the first time in program history, UCA blanked 9th-ranked Arkansas 4-0 in Conway Tuesday night. The shutout win — headlined by an 8-strikeout, complete game pitched by senior Kayla Beaver — caps off Central Arkansas’ two-game regular season sweep of the Hogs.

“Kind of sad but happy tears at the same time, like we just beat them on our home field,” said 5th-year senior and designated player Jaylee Engelkes, the Greenbrier native helping the Bears get on the board in the 5th inning. “Beating them twice shows that we should be ranked.”

The Bears make school history in front of a record attendance, 2,475 fans packing the grounds of Farris Field. Prior to the game, the facility’s approximate capacity was only about 1,000. Being celebrated by a crowd covered in purple made the experience even sweeter for UCA.

“When we were doing the national anthem that’s when we were like wow, there’s so many people here,” Engelkes said. Just seeing everyone stand up, I was like holy cow… I don’t even know where my parents are sitting anymore.”

Entering the game rated 17th in the nation in RPI, UCA showed that they’re no joke. After capturing the Hogs’ attention with their 2-1 upset at Bogle Field in March, the Bears use back-to-back two-run innings in the 5th and 6th to beat the back-to-back SEC champion Razorbacks and their weekend lineup.

Led by head coach Jenny Parsons, the team hopes to use the momentum of their Razorback sweep to catapult them through ASUN play. Currently 11-1 in conference and on a 9-game win streak, UCA believes they can make an NCAA regionals berth for the first time since 2015.

“Knowing [Arkansas] put their best foot forward, we’re capable of anything,” Engelkes said. “We definitely have a chance to make a regional, something that nobody ever really experiences. Getting to experience a regional would be phenomenal.”

Watch our full story to hear more from Engelkes on UCA’s win over the Razorbacks and what it means for the team going forward.