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The 2021 Central Arkansas Sugar Bears softball team represented University of Central Arkansas during the 2021 NCAA Division I softball season . The Sugar Bears played their home games at Farris Field and were led by thirteenth year head coach David Kuhn. They were members of the Southland Conference .
Preseason
Southland Conference Coaches Poll
The Southland Conference Coaches Poll was released on February 5, 2021. Central Arkansas was picked to finish fifth in the Southland Conference with 162 votes and one first place vote.[ 2]
Coaches poll
Predicted finish
Team
Votes (1st place)
1
Stephen F. Austin
235 (17)
2
McNeese State
217 (4)
3
Southeastern Louisiana
183
4
Sam Houston State
172 (1)
5
Central Arkansas
162 (1)
6
Northwestern State
156 (1)
7
Nicholls
131
8
Lamar
86
9
Abilene Christian
82
10
Houston Baptist
81
11
Texas A&M–Corpus Christi
47
12
Incarnate Word
32
Preseason All-Southland team
[ 3]
First Team
Kaylyn Shephard (UCA, R-SR, 1st Base)
Cayla Joens (NSU, JR, 2nd Base)
Cylla Hall (UCA, R-SR, 3rd Base)
Cori McCrary (MCNS, SR, Shortstop)
Ella Manzer (SELA, SR, Catcher)
Samantha Bradley (ACU, R-SR, Designated Player)
Linsey Tomlinson (ACU, R-SR, Outfielder)
Kaylee Lopez (MCNS, SO, Outfielder)
Elise Vincent (NSU, SR, Outfielder)
Madisen Blackford (SELA, SR, Outfielder)
Megan McDonald (SHSU, SR, Outfielder)
Kayla Beaver (UCA, R-FR, Pitcher)
Kassidy Wilbur (SFA, JR, Pitcher)
E. C. Delafield (NSU, JR, Utility)
Second Team
Shaylon Govan (SFA, SO, 1st Base)
Brooke Malia (SHSU, SR, 2nd Base)
Bryana Novegil (SFA, SR, 2nd Base)
Caitlin Garcia (NICH, JR, 3rd Base)
Alex Hudspeth (SFA, JR, Shortstop)
Alexis Perry (NSU, SO, Catcher)
Bailey Richards (SFA, SR, Catcher)
Caitlyn Brockway (HBU, SO, Designated Player)
Reagan Sperling (UCA, R-JR, Outfielder)
Alayis Seneca (MCNS, SO, Outfielder)
Hayley Barbazon (NSU, SR, Outfielder)
Saleen Flores (MCNS, SO, Pitcher)
MC Comeaux (SELA, FR, Pitcher)
Sammi Thomas (TAMUCC, SO, Utility)
National Softball Signing Day
[ 4]
Roster
2021 Central Arkansas Sugar Bears roster
Pitchers
19 Kayla Beaver - Redshirt Freshman
20 Katelyn McMahan - Freshman
30 Rio Sanchez - Senior
Outfielders
1 Tremere Harris - Freshman
3 Jenna Wildeman - Redshirt Freshman
4 Gabbi Scott - Freshman
5 Megan Corwnover - Redshirt Freshman
7 Reagan Sperling - Redshirt Junior
23 Callie Eary - Redshirt Sophomore
Utilities
15 Kristen Whitehouse - Freshman
26 Lindsey Williams - Redshirt Junior
Catchers
6 Tylar Vernon - Redshirt Sophomore
27 Emily Sampson - Redshirt Freshman
Infielders
2 Mary Kate Brown - Redshirt Freshman
9 Morgan Nelson - Redshirt Freshman
11 Erin Acors - Senior
13 Kaylyn Shepherd - Redshirt Senior
14 Jordan Johnson - Redshirt Sophomore
17 Erin Blackburn - Redshirt Sophomore
18 Lexi McClellan - Redshirt Junior
22 Jaylee Engelkes - Redshirt Sophomore
24 Cylla Hill - Redshirt Senior
Coaching staff
2021 Central Arkansas Sugar Bears coaching staff
David Kuhn – Head coach – 13th year
Jenny Parsons – Associate head coach – 9th year
Chris Watford – Assistant head coach – 1st year
Kayla Lucas – Volunteer assistant coach
Schedule and results
Legend
Central Arkansas win
Central Arkansas loss
Postponement/Cancellation
Bold
Central Arkansas team member
2021 Central Arkansas Sugar Bears softball game log
Regular season (34-17)
February (6-7)
Date
Opponent
Rank
Site/stadium
Score
Win
Loss
Save
TV
Attendance
Overall record
SLC Record
Tiger Classic
Feb. 12
vs. No. 25 Duke
Tiger Field • Baton Rouge, LA
L 2-6
Butler (1-0)
Johnson (0-1)
Walters (1)
76
0-1
Feb. 13
vs. No. 25 Duke
Tiger Field • Baton Rouge, LA
L 5-7
Davidson (1-0)
Sanchez (0-1)
Butler (1)
72
0-2
Feb. 13
vs. Kansas
Tiger Field • Baton Rouge, LA
L 2-4
Goff (1-0)
Beaver (0-1)
None
86
0-3
Texas A&M Invitational
Feb. 20
vs. Texas Tech
Davis Diamond • College Station, TX
W 6-1
Beaver (1-1)
Zoch (1-1)
None
306
1-3
Feb. 20
at Texas A&M
Davis Diamond • College Station, TX
L 0-9 (5 inns)
Herzog (1-0)
Johnson (0-2)
None
SECN+
306
1-4
Feb. 21
vs. Colorado
Davis Diamond • College Station, TX
W 4-0
Sanchez (1-1)
Cabral (0-1)
None
95
2-4
Feb. 21
vs. Texas Tech
Davis Diamond • College Station, TX
W 5-0
Johnson (1-5)
Zoch (1-2)
None
100
3-4
Feb. 22
at Texas A&M
Davis Diamond • College Station, TX
L 0-22
Poynter (1-0)
Beaver (1-2)
Broadus (1)
SECN+
159
3-5
Feb. 23
at No. 11 LSU
Tiger Field • Baton Rouge, LA
L 0-3
Wickersham (2-1)
Sanchez (1-2)
None
SECN+
156
3-6
Feb. 23
at No. 11 LSU
Tiger Field • Baton Rouge, LA
L 0-2
Kilponen (1-1)
Johnson (1-3)
None
SECN+
327
3-7
Michelle Short Memorial Classic
Feb. 25
Omaha
Farris Field • Conway, AR
W 9-1
Sanchez (2-2)
Hampton (0-3)
None
84
4-7
Feb. 25
Missouri State
Farris Field • Conway, AR
W 5-0
Beaver (2-2)
Hunsaker (2-1)
None
88
5-7
Feb. 27
Western Illinois
Farris Field • Conway, AR
W 9-1
Sanchez (3-2)
Carlin (1-2)
None
102
6-7
March (13-3)
Date
Opponent
Rank
Site/stadium
Score
Win
Loss
Save
TV
Attendance
Overall record
SLC Record
Mar. 3
Arkansas–Monticello
Farris Field • Conway, AR
W 8-0 (5 inns)
Beaver (3-2)
Franks (0-2)
None
113
7-7
Adam Brown Memorial Shamrock Classic
Mar. 5
Mississippi Valley State
Farris Field • Conway, AR
W 10-0 (5 inns)
Johnson (2-3)
Page (0-3)
None
92
8-7
Mar. 5
Arkansas–Pine Bluff
Farris Field • Conway, AR
W 10-1 (5 inns)
Beaver (4-2)
Hubbard (0-2)
None
104
9-7
Mar. 6
Arkansas–Pine Bluff
Farris Field • Conway, AR
W 8-0 (5 inns)
Sanchez (4-2)
Smith (0-2)
None
109
10-7
Mar. 6
Western Michigan
Farris Field • Conway, AR
W 11-0 (5 inns)
Johnson (3-3)
Galloway (1-3)
None
187
11-7
Mar. 8
Lyon
Farris Field • Conway, AR
W 3-1
Beaver (5-2)
Platt (2-5)
None
86
12-7
Mar. 9
No. 19 Arkansas
Farris Field • Conway, AR
L 1-4
Haff (10-1)
Johnson (3-4)
None
ESPN+
755
12-8
Mar. 12
at McNeese State
Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA
L 0-1
Tate (2-5)
Beaver (5-3)
None
ESPN+
257
12-9
0-1
Mar. 13
at McNeese State
Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA
W 5-4
Beaver (6-3)
Vallejo (1-4)
None
207
13-9
1-1
Mar. 13
at McNeese State
Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA
L 3-5
Tate (3-5)
Sanchez (4-3)
None
207
13-10
1-2
Mar. 19
at Abilene Christian
Poly Wells Field • Abilene, TX
W 7-0
Beaver (7-3)
Bradley (3-8)
None
250
14-10
2-2
Mar. 19
at Abilene Christian
Poly Wells Field • Abilene, TX
W 8-0 (6 inns)
Johnson (4-4)
White (3-7)
None
250
15-10
3-2
Mar. 20
at Abilene Christian
Poly Wells Field • Abilene, TX
W 15-2 (5 inns)
Beaver (8-3)
Bradley (3-9)
None
250
16-10
4-2
Mar. 26
Sam Houston State
Farris Field • Conway, AR
W 11-1 (5 inns)
Beaver (9-3)
Dunn (4-4)
None
218
17-10
5-2
Mar. 26
Sam Houston State
Farris Field • Conway, AR
W 1-0
Johnson (5-4)
Vento (3-3)
None
250
18-10
6-2
Mar. 27
Sam Houston State
Farris Field • Conway, AR
W 5-1
Johnson (6-4)
Vento (3-4)
None
202
19-10
7-2
Mar. 30
Memphis
Farris Field • Conway, AR
Game postponed to April 27
April (11–7)
Date
Opponent
Rank
Site/stadium
Score
Win
Loss
Save
TV
Attendance
Overall record
SLC Record
Apr. 2
at Northwestern State
Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA
W 3-1
Johnson (7-4)
Howell (5-4)
None
250
20-10
8-2
Apr. 2
at Northwestern State
Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA
W 4-0
Beaver (10-3)
Delafield (5-2)
None
250
21-10
9-2
Apr. 3
at Northwestern State
Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA
W 4-3
Beaver (11-3)
Rhoden (4-3)
Johnson (1)
203
22-10
10-2
Apr. 6
at RV Ole Miss
Ole Miss Softball Complex • Oxford, MS
L 1-4
Borgen (8-4)
Beaver (11-4)
Diederich (1)
SECN+
201
22-11
Apr. 7
at Mississippi State
Nusz Park • Mississippi State, MS
L 3-4
Willis (11-4)
Beaver (11-5)
None
SECN+
66
22-12
Apr. 9
Nicholls
Farris Field • Conway, AR
W 14-2
Johnson (8-4)
Danehower (3-5)
None
125
23-12
11-2
Apr. 9
Nicholls
Farris Field • Conway, AR
W 2-0
Beaver (12-5)
Moon (1-5)
None
152
24-12
12-2
Apr. 10
Nicholls
Farris Field • Conway, AR
W 7-1
Beaver (13-5)
Westbrook (2-6)
Johnson (2)
132
25-12
13-2
Apr. 17
at Houston Baptist
Husky Field • Houston, TX
W 5-2
Johnson (9-4)
Patak (5-8)
None
50
26-12
14-2
Apr. 17
at Houston Baptist
Husky Field • Houston, TX
L 0-1
Swanson (6-0)
Beaver (13-6)
None
50
26-13
14-3
Apr. 18
at Houston Baptist
Husky Field • Houston, TX
L 1-2
Patak (5-8)
Johnson (9-4)
None
26-14
14-4
Apr. 21
at No. 8 Arkansas
Bogle Field • Fayetteville, AR
L 6-7 (8 inns)
Haff (20-3)
Johnson (9-6)
None
SECN+
873
26-15
Apr. 24
Stephen F. Austin
Farris Field • Conway, AR
L 0-3
Wilbur (24-3)
Johnson (9-7)
None
119
26-16
14-5
Apr. 24
Stephen F. Austin
Farris Field • Conway, AR
W 7-2
Beaver (14-6)
Chism (3-1)
None
206
27-16
15-5
Apr. 25
Stephen F. Austin
Farris Field • Conway, AR
L 0-6
Wilbur (25-3)
Sanchez (4-4)
None
136
27-17
15-6
Apr. 27
Memphis
Farris Field • Conway, AR
W 4-3 (9 inns)
Beaver (15-6)
Ellett (2-9)
None
107
28-17
Apr. 30
at Southeastern Louisiana
North Oak Park • Hammond, LA
W 6-0
Johnson (10-7)
Zumo (15-4)
None
ESPN+
224
29-17
16-6
Apr. 30
at Southeastern Louisiana
North Oak Park • Hammond, LA
W 5-0
Beaver (16-6)
Hannabas (2-5)
None
ESPN+
224
30-17
17-6
May (4-0)
Date
Opponent
Rank
Site/stadium
Score
Win
Loss
Save
TV
Attendance
Overall record
SLC Record
May 1
at Southeastern Louisiana
North Oak Park • Hammond, LA
W 7-6 (10 inns)
Beaver (17-6)
Zumo (15-5)
None
ESPN+
245
31-17
18-6
May 7
Lamar
Farris Field • Conway, AR
W 7-0
Johnson (11-7)
Ruiz (3-9)
None
219
32-17
19-6
May 8
Lamar
Farris Field • Conway, AR
W 12-1 (5 inns)
Beaver (18-6)
Mixon (3-16)
None
218
33-17
20-6
May 8
Lamar
Farris Field • Conway, AR
W 11-2 (6 inns)
Engelkes (1-0)
Ruiz (3-10)
None
218
34-17
21-6
Post-Season (3-2)
Southland Tournament (0-0)
Date
Opponent
(Seed)/Rank
Site/stadium
Score
Win
Loss
Save
TV
Attendance
Overall record
Tournament record
May 13
vs. (3) McNeese State
(2)
North Oak Park • Hammond, LA
L 5-6
Tate (12-7)
Johnson (11-8)
Flores (3)
ESPN+
335
34-18
May 14
vs. (5) Southeastern Louisiana
(2)
North Oak Park • Hammond, LA
W 2-1
Beaver (19-6)
Zumo (16-7)
None
ESPN+
275
35-18
May 14
vs. (4) Northwestern State
(2)
North Oak Park • Hammond, LA
W 5-2
Beaver (20-6)
Delafield (12-5)
None
ESPN+
339
36-18
May 15
vs. (1) Stephen F. Austin
(2)
North Oak Park • Hammond, LA
W 5-4
Beaver (21-6)
Wilbur (30-6)
None
ESPN+
307
37-18
May 15
vs. (3) McNeese State
(2)
North Oak Park • Hammond, LA
L 0-1
Edwards (9-2)
Johnson (11-9)
Tate (3)
ESPN+
345
37-19
Schedule Source: [ 5]
*Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the NFCA/USA Softball poll.
Postseason
Conference accolades
Player of the Year: Kassidy Wilbur – SFA
Hitter of the Year: Shaylon Govan – SFA
Pitcher of the Year: Kassidy Wilbur – SFA
Freshman of the Year: Jenna Wildeman – UCA
Newcomer of the Year: Jenna Edwards – MCNS
Coach of the Year: Nicole Dickson – SFA
All Conference First Team
Shaylon Govan (SFA)
Bryana Novegil (SFA)
Haylee Brinlee (MCNS)
Cori McCrary (MCNS)
Heidi Jaquez (HBU)
E. C. Delafield (NSU)
Mackenzie Bennett (SFA)
Jenna Wildeman (UCA)
Megan McDonald (SHSU)
Aeriyl Mass (SELA)
Kayla Beaver (UCA)
Kassidy Wilbur (SFA)
All Conference Second Team
Kaylyn Shephard (UCA)
Mary Kate Brown (UCA)
Lindsey Rizzo (SELA)
Camryn Middlebrook (SFA)
Hannah Scheaffer (SHSU)
Gaby Garcia (SFA)
Kaylee Lopez (MCNS)
Donelle Johnson (ACU)
Jil Poullard (MCNS)
Audrey Greely (SELA)
Jordan Johnson (UCA)
Whitney Tate (MCNS)
All Conference Third Team
Caitlyn Brockway (HBU)
Cayla Jones (NSU)
Alex Hedspeth (SFA)
Ashlyn Reavis (NICH)
Chloe Gomez (MCNS)
Jasie Roberts (HBU)
Anna Rodenberg (SELA)
Kaitlyn St. Clair (NSU)
Sheridan Fisher (SHSU)
Pal Egan (TAMUCC)
Lyndie Swanson (HBU)
Heather Zumo (SELA)
References: [ 6]
References
Venues Coaches
Natalie Shock (1996–2005)
Steve Kissel (2006–2007)
Natalie Shock (2008)
David Kuhn (2009– )
Seasons