MONROE, La. _ Junior Brandon Hagerla went seven solid innings and the University of Central Arkansas Bears won for the third time in three tries Sunday, beating Indiana State 8-5 at the Warhawk Classic at Warhawk Field.
Hagerla, a junior righthander from Santa Rosa Community College, tossed seven innings, allowing six hits, three runs and struck out two and walked none. Junior Derek Beier pitched the final two innings, allowing three hits and two runs and striking out three as the Bears won the unofficial tournament title with a 3-0 record.
Right fielder Braxton Phillips, UCA's lead-off hitter, led the Bears at the plate, going 2 for 4 with 3 RBI. Junior second baseman Chris Townsend was 1 for 4 with 2 RBI as seven of UCA's nine starters recorded hits.
The Bears grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Wesley Hoover singled up the middle and advanced to second when Jacob Richardson was hit by a pitch. Nate Ferrell walked to load the bases before Townsend's fielder's choice scored Hoover. Catcher Charles Deckard then got a base hit to left to score Richardson for the 2-0 lead.
The Sycamores (2-1) got a leadoff solo home run in the second from designated hitter Hunter Owen to make it 2-1. Both pitchers settled down from there until the Bears struck again in the fourth. Logan Preston drew a one-out walk and James Lacy reached on a throwing error by the ISU third baseman. Tyler Langley's infield single brought in Preston and Phillips followed with a two-run double to the wall to make it 5-1.
ISU hit another solo home run in the fifth but UCA answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame with Townsend and Deckard picking up the RBI. The Sycamores got one back in the top of the sixth but Hagerla worked out of it with three consecutive outs.
Beier came on in relief in the eighth and allowed a two-run single down the left-field line that closed the gap to 7-5, but got out of the inning with a strike out of Tony Roselli. In the bottom of the eighth, Richardson singled, stole second and scored on a bloop double by Townsend that fell in front of the ISU centerfielder and just over the second baseman to make it 8-5.
Beier then got a pair of ground balls back to the mound and a strike out to end the game.
Phillips finished the tournament 8 for 13 (.615) with 7 RBI and was 3 for 4 on stolen base attempts. Preston went 5 for 9 (.556) with three home runs and six runs scored. Langley hit .500 (5 for 10) for the weekend. Phillips and Preston were named co-Most Outstanding Players of the toiurnament, while Langley and pitchers Connor Gilmore and Bo Stitch were named to the All-Tournament team.
UCA hosts UALR at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Bear Stadium, weather permitting.
