CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears opened Southland Conference play Friday with a 12-inning, 5-4 victory over the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks at SFA's Jaycees Field.
The Bears (5-3, 1-0) got a lead-off triple from junior center fielder Tyler Langley in the top of the 12th, and he quickly scored on Braxton Phillips' sacrifice fly to right field to make it 5-4. Junior reliever Bo Stitch got the final out of the 11th inning and then sat the Lumberjacks down in order in the 12th to earn his second victory of the season.
Langley fnished 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored, while junior shortstop Logan Preston was also 2 for 4 with an RBI.
Senior third baseman Nate Ferrell spotted the Bears a 2-0 lead in the first with his third home run of the season, scoring Chris Townsend, who had walked. That lead, with junior Connor Gilmore on the mound for the Bears, held up until the fifth inning when an RBI groundout put the Lumberjacks on the board.
UCA made it a 3-1 lead in the seventh on Langley's sacrifice liner to center that brought home pinch runner Robert Haun. But the Lumberjacks (4-10, 0-1) smacked back-to-back home runs off Gilmore in the bottom of the seventh to tie it at 3-3. SFA loaded the bases with just one out in the bottom of the ninth inning but Ferrell made a diving stop at third, threw home for the first out and UCA catcher Travis Hull went right back to Ferrell to complete the double play and end the rally.
Langley and Phillips both chased down long fly balls in the 10th inning as UCA escaped that frame. The Bears returned the favor by loading the bases in the top of the 11th and Preston brought in the run with an infield single as SFA went to second for the final out but Haun beat the throw and Townsend scored for a 4-3 lead.
SFA answered in the bottom of the 11th, scoring on an error on UCA second baseman Matt Anderson, who recovered nicely and threw out the potential go-ahead runner at home after he fell down rounding third. After UCA re-took the lead in the 12th, Stitch got a line drive to Langley in center, a called third strike and a ground out to Corey Herndon at first base to end it.
SFA used seven pitchers in the game, with the final one, Jarred Greene (1-3), picking up the loss.
Because of expected rain on Sunday, the teams will finish the series with a noon doubleheader on Saturday.
