TULSA _ Oral Roberts starting pitcher Alex Gonzalez handcuffed the No. 23 University of Central Arkansas Bears on Friday as the Golden Eagles opened Southland Conference play with an 8-1 victory at J.L. Johnson Stadium.

Gonzalez (2-4), a junior righthander, allowed just five hits and one earned run, striking out eight in eight solid innings as ORU (6-15, 1-0) broke an 11-game losing streak. UCA starter Caleb McClanahan (4-2) allowed six hits and three earned runs in six innings of work.

The Golden Eagles scored a run in the second inning on a ground out and made it 3-0 in the fifth on Austin Colt’s two-run double over the head of UCA center fielder Jonathan Davis.

UCA, which had won 6 of it last 7 games, managed just two hits through five innings off Gonzalez, a freshman All-American last season. The Bears (18-4, 0-1) finally scratched across a run in the eighth inning when Justin Treece singled to center and Ethan Harris reached on a fielder’s choice. After Blake Marchal walked to load the bases, Jonathan Davis brought in the run with another walk.

The Golden Eagles blew the game open in the eighth against UCA’s bullpen, scoring five runs on just two hits. UCA contributed an error and a costly wild pitch in the inning.

ORU tallied eight hits, with Colt going 2 for 2, catcher Jose Trevino going 2 for 3 and designated hitter Tyler Boss finishing 2 for 4. For UCA, third baseman Garrett Brown went 2 for 4 and right fielder Forrestt Allday was 1 for 3 with a double.

Game 2 of the series is set for 2 p.m. Saturday.