CONWAY, Ark. _ Back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning carried the University of Central Arkansas Bears to a 5-4 victory over the Nicholls State Colonels in Southland Conference action on Friday night at Bear Stadium.

Junior center fielder Jonathan Davis went deep in left field and junior first baseman Scott Zimmerle hit one out in right field three pitches later for a 3-1 UCA lead. The Bears (25-8, 5-5) put across two more runs in the seventh inning, then survived an eighth-inning rally by the Colonels. UCA improved to 16-1 at home this season.

UCA senior righthander Caleb McClanahan improved to 6-3 on the season, going seven innings, allowing six hits and just one earned run, striking out five and walking one. Senior Clint Green came on and got the final six outs, including a 1-2-3 ninth inning, for his second save.

Davis, from Camden, went 3 for 4 with a home run and double and stole two bases. Leadoff batter Forrestt Allday went 2 for 4 with and RBI double in the fifth inning for the first run of the game.

The Colonels (16-19, 1-9) put up three runs in the eighth inning before Green got out of the inning with a strikeout, a fly ball to right field and liner to second base.

After Nicholls closed the gap to 3-1 in the sixth, the Bears put up two more runs in the seventh as shortstop Justin Treece singled down the right-field line, advanced to third on two ground outs and scored on Blake Marchal’s single to center field. Marchal then came in on Ethan Harris’ double to the left-center gap, that chased NSU starter Mike Suk, who dropped to 1-4 on the season.

Matt Richard and Mike Barba had two hits each for the Colonels.

Game 2 of the series is set for 4 p.m. Saturday on Alumni Day.