CONWAY, AR – The University of Central Arkansas Bears stranded two Sam Houston State runners on base in the bottom of the ninth to preserve a 6-4 victory and a 2-1 series win in Southland Conference action on Sunday at Bear Stadium.
Junior Bo Stitch of Conway came on in relief with two outs in the ninth after SHSU had scored two runs to cut the deficit in half. A weak grounder to first baseman Matt Anderson on a 3-2 count ended the game and allowed the Bears to win their third conference series out of four this season.
The Bears (14-8, 8-4) led the entire game, scoring singles runs in the first and second innings, adding three more in the fifth and a solo run in the sixth for a 6-1 lead. The Bearkats (14-16, 7-5), the preseason favorites in the SLC, got a run in the fourth, another in the eighth and their final two in the ninth.
Senior designated hitter Nate Ferrell had an RBI triple off the top of the fence in right field to score Wesley Hoover in the first inning. In the second, third baseman Hayden Steele walked, moved to second on a balk, to third on a wild pitch and scored on another for a 2-0 lead.
Catcher Travis Hull hit a one-out double in the fifth inning and scored on an error to start a three-run frame for the Bears. Right fielder Braxton Phillips then dropped a fly ball just inside the right-field line between three players that turned into a two-run double to make it 5-1. UCA’s final run came on Wesley Hoover’s single up the middle and Logan Preston’s RBI base hit to left field.
SHSU got one run in the eighth on a lead-off home run but an outstanding play by Anderson at first saved another. With a runner on first, Anderson dove for a hard shot headed to the right-field corner, caught it and landed on first base for the double play.
UCA starter Riley Echols struck out 4 and allowed just 2 hits and 1 run in 4 2/3 innings. Andrew Kemmerer earned the victory in relief, with Stitch picking up his second save.
Hoover finished 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored, while Phillips was 1 for 2 with 2 RBI. SHSU out-hit UCA, with Miles Manning, Spence Rahm, Dylan Ebbs and Hayden Simerly getting two hits each.
UCA travels to Norman, Okla., for a 6 p.m. non-conference game against the Oklahoma Sooners on Tuesday. The Bears play a non-conference series at Southern Illinois in Carbondale beginning on Thursday night.
(Courtesy: UCA Sports Information)
Junior Bo Stitch of Conway came on in relief with two outs in the ninth after SHSU had scored two runs to cut the deficit in half. A weak grounder to first baseman Matt Anderson on a 3-2 count ended the game and allowed the Bears to win their third conference series out of four this season.
The Bears (14-8, 8-4) led the entire game, scoring singles runs in the first and second innings, adding three more in the fifth and a solo run in the sixth for a 6-1 lead. The Bearkats (14-16, 7-5), the preseason favorites in the SLC, got a run in the fourth, another in the eighth and their final two in the ninth.
Senior designated hitter Nate Ferrell had an RBI triple off the top of the fence in right field to score Wesley Hoover in the first inning. In the second, third baseman Hayden Steele walked, moved to second on a balk, to third on a wild pitch and scored on another for a 2-0 lead.
Catcher Travis Hull hit a one-out double in the fifth inning and scored on an error to start a three-run frame for the Bears. Right fielder Braxton Phillips then dropped a fly ball just inside the right-field line between three players that turned into a two-run double to make it 5-1. UCA’s final run came on Wesley Hoover’s single up the middle and Logan Preston’s RBI base hit to left field.
SHSU got one run in the eighth on a lead-off home run but an outstanding play by Anderson at first saved another. With a runner on first, Anderson dove for a hard shot headed to the right-field corner, caught it and landed on first base for the double play.
UCA starter Riley Echols struck out 4 and allowed just 2 hits and 1 run in 4 2/3 innings. Andrew Kemmerer earned the victory in relief, with Stitch picking up his second save.
Hoover finished 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored, while Phillips was 1 for 2 with 2 RBI. SHSU out-hit UCA, with Miles Manning, Spence Rahm, Dylan Ebbs and Hayden Simerly getting two hits each.
UCA travels to Norman, Okla., for a 6 p.m. non-conference game against the Oklahoma Sooners on Tuesday. The Bears play a non-conference series at Southern Illinois in Carbondale beginning on Thursday night.
(Courtesy: UCA Sports Information)
