LAKE CHARLES, La. _ The McNeese State Cowboys used a 12-hit attack to down the University of Central Arkansas Bears 6-2 in Southland Conference baseball action on Saturday at Cowboy Diamond.

The Bears (8-8, 3-2) led 2-0 after scoring single runs in the first and third innings, but could not plate another run. The Cowboys (6-11, 3-2) took the lead for good with three runs in the fifth inning, then added two more in the seventh and a single run in the eighth.

UCA used five pitchers, with junior starter Caleb McClanahan (1-1) allowing 11 of the hits and five earned runs. He struck out four and walked two. McNeese's Blake Ware (3-1) went seven innings, allowing nine hits and one earned run, striking out four and walking five.

UCA put up a run in the first inning when leadoff batter Forrestt Allday walked, was sacrificed to second and went to third on Jonathan Davis' single. Allday scored the game's first run on a passed ball. In the third inning, Blake Marchal and David had consecutive base hits but Marchal was put out on a fielder's choice. Garrett Brown then knocked in Davis with an RBI single to left-center.

McClanahan, the reigning SLC pitcher of the week, worked around several base hits in the first four innings but gave up three runs on four hits and an error in the fifth. After getting the Cowboys in order in the sixth, he got in trouble again in the seventh and was relieved by Bryce Biggerstaff, the first of four relievers UCA would use.

Senior first baseman Bryan Willson went 3 for 5 for the Bears, who had 10 hits in the game. Davis and Griffin Glaude were both 2 for 4. Seth Granger was 3 for 4 for McNeese.

The series finale is set for 1 p.m. Sunday.