CONWAY, Ark. – Brooke Voss recorded four hits including the walk-off winner to lead the University of Evansville softball team to a 12-11 win over Saint Louis in Sunday's opener. In the second contest, the Purple Aces fell to Central Arkansas by a score of 12-4.
 
Game 1 – UE 12, Saint Louis 11 (8 innings) - Box Score
 
In a wild back-and-forth contest, it was the Purple Aces erupting for 12 runs on 15 hits to finish with the 12-11 victory. Brooke Voss was the star of the game for UE, going 4-for-5 with three RBI, two runs, and a walk. Miriah Powell, Angela Valentine, and Emma McDonald each had two hits apiece.
 
After taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, the Aces added three runs in the second. Valentine scored on a Voss triple before Voss crossed the plate on an error by UCA. Eliza Piggott brought home the third run of the frame when she forced a bases-loaded walk.
 
Just as fast as UE took the lead, the Billikens countered with four runs in the top of the third. Two-run hits from Kate Proffitt and Bella Stephens knotted the score at 4-4. Voss put Evansville right back in front in the bottom of the third, hitting an RBI single to bring home McDonald. Powell crossed the plate on an error to push the lead to two.
 
Valentine extended the Aces lead to four runs with a 2-run double in the fifth, however, a 7-run top of the fifth put Saint Louis on top by an 11-8 score. McDonald brought in Valentine for a single run in the sixth before the offense made a late rally in the bottom half of the 7^th. Taylor Howe led off with a double and scored when Maliyah Wilkins reached on a SLU error. With two outs, Jess Willsey came through with the game-tying single to score Keghan Pye, who pinch ran for Wilkins.
 
Gracie Hollingsworth, who entered with no outs and two Billikens on base in the top of the 7^th, came through in the clutch. She recorded three quick outs to keep the deficit at two runs before retiring the side in order to begin the 8^th. In the bottom of the inning, Emma McDonald reached on a 1-out triple. That brought Voss to the plate, who recorded her fourth hit of the game to give the Aces the victory in walk-off fashion.
 
Hollingsworth earned the victory for UE, throwing two scoreless innings with a strikeout.
 
Game 2 – Central Arkansas 12, UE 4 - Box Score
 
Scoring eight runs in the bottom of the sixth, Central Arkansas defeated UE by a 12-4 final in Sunday's second contest. UE finished with six hits as Miriah Powell went 2-3 to lead the way.
 
Evansville wasted no time in taking the lead against Central Arkansas. Two-run hits by Niki Bode and Jess Willsey established a quick 4-0 lead. The Bears scored once in the bottom of the first and looked to do more in the ensuing frame as they stranded the bases loaded in the second.
 
In the bottom of the third, UCA broke through to tie the score with three runs. The Aces looked to regain the lead in the top of the fourth when Miriah Powell, Angela Valentine, and Emma McDonald each singled to load the bases with no outs. Unfortunately, the Bears were able to get out of the jam while keeping the score tied at 4-4.
 
Things remained tied at 4-4 until the bottom of the sixth when Central Arkansas scored eight runs to finish the game. Kate Ridgway threw 4 1/3 innings with four runs, three earned, crossing the plate.