2021 Central Arkansas Sugar Bears softball team

2021 Central Arkansas Sugar Bears softball
Conference	Southland Conference
Record	37–19 (21–6 Southland)
Head coach	David Kuhn (13th season)
Assistant coaches	Jenny Parsons Chris Watford
Home stadium	Farris Field
Seasons ← 2020 2022 →

2021 Southland Conference softball standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		PCT			W		L		PCT
Stephen F. Austin  ‍†‍‍	25	–	2		.926			35	–	12		.745
Central Arkansas  ‍‍‍	21	–	6		.778			37	–	19		.661
McNeese State  ‍‍‡‍y	18	–	9		.667			35	–	26		.574
Northwestern State  ‍‍‍	16	–	11		.593			24	–	22		.522
Southeastern Louisiana  ‍‍‍	14	–	10		.583			28	–	23		.549
Houston Baptist  ‍‍‍	15	–	12		.556			22	–	17		.564
Sam Houston State  ‍‍‍	14	–	13		.519			19	–	31		.380
Abilene Christian  ‍‍‍	10	–	17		.370			14	–	33		.298
Incarnate Word  ‍‍‍	9	–	18		.333			16	–	27		.372
Texas A&M–Corpus Christi  ‍‍‍	8	–	16		.333			18	–	30		.375
Nicholls  ‍‍‍	5	–	22		.185			12	–	28		.300
Lamar  ‍‍‍	4	–	23		.148			8	–	43		.157
† – Conference champion ‡ – Tournament champion y – Invited to the NCAA tournament As of May 22, 2021 [1] Rankings from NFCA

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]

Player	Position	Hometown	Previous Team
Bella Barnes	Infielder	Baton Rouge, Louisiana	Central HS
Jorde Chartland	Pitcher/Utility	Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Canada	Weyburn Comprehensive
Reese Curry	Infielder/Utility	Oskaloosa, Kansas	Oskaloosa HS
Regan Curry	Infielder/Utility	Oskaloosa, Kansas	Oskaloosa HS
Kylie Griffin	Infielder	Greenbrier, Arkansas	Greenbrier HS
Emily Perry	Infielder	Bentonville, Arkansas	Bentonville HS
Graci Thomas	Infielder	Morrilton, Arkansas	Morrilton HS

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

1. "Southland Softball Standings". www.southland.org. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
2. "Ladyjacks Tabbed 2021 Softball Preseason Favorites". www.southland.org. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
3. "2021 Southland Preseason All-Conference Softball Teams Announced". www.southland.org. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
4. "Bears Sign Seven to 2021 Recruiting Class". University of Central Arkansas Athletics. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
5. "2021 Softball Schedule". University of Central Arkansas Athletics. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
6. "SFA's Kassidy Wilbur Named Southland Player of the Year". www.southland.org. Retrieved January 6, 2022.