NATCHITOCHES, La. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears pounded out 16 hits against four pitchers Saturday and downed the Northwestern State Demons 7-1 in Southland Conference play at Brown-Stroud Field.

UCA (20-25, 10-16) evened the series at 1-1. The Bears had 16 singles Saturday, with seniors Zack Dickson and Jonathan Houston, junior Blake Roberts and freshman Jonathan Davis all picking up three hits. The Bears took the lead for good in the second inning off NSU starter Colin Bear. Travis Snider and Blake Roberts had consecutive singles and moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Ethan Harris.

A wild pitch allowed Snider to score and Roberts came in on an error by NSU third baseman Chris Hebert.

UCA pushed its lead to 3-0 in the fourth when Roberts walked and eventually scored on another Demon error. Three more runs came across in the sixth inning as the Bears had six hits and NSU contributed another error. Logan Moon and Houston had RBI singles in the inning.

Meanwhile, UCA junior lefthander Dustin Ward allowed six hits and just one run over 6 2/3 innings to improve to 7-3. Ward has won four of his last five starts. Bryan Willson came on for the final seven outs and allowed 2 hits and no runs.

The Demons got their lone run in the seventh on Hebert's single to right field. UCA answered that with another run in the eighth on a pinch hit RBI single by Greg Noble that scored Dickson.

Dickson went 3 for 5 with and RBi, 2 runs scored and a stolen base, while Houston was 3 for 5 with an RBI and Davis was 3 for 5. Roberts finished 3 for 4 and scored 3 times. Hebert and Ray Frias had two hits each for the Demons, who only had eight for the game.

Game 3 of the series is set for 1 p.m. Sunday.