CONWAY, Ark. _ A third consecutive complete game by junior righthander Connor Gilmore carried the University of Central Arkansas Bears to a 7-0 shutout of the Nicholls Colonels in Southland Conference action on Friday night at Bear Stadium.

    Gilmore tossed a four-hitter against the Colonels, striking out four and walking just one to improve to 5-2 on the season and drop his earned-run average to 2.12. The Bears pounded out 13 total hits and chased Nicholls starter Ryan Deemes after 5 1/3 innings, putting up 11 hits and five runs against the Colonels' ace, who entered the game with a 4-0 record and an 0.99 ERA.

    The second-place Bears (18-10, 9-4) scored the only runs they would need in the first inning, getting an RBI single from second baseman Chris Townsend and a sacrifice fly from designated hitter Joey Pinney. With Gilmore cruising along, the Bears plated two more runs in the fifth inning, wiht the help of a wild pitch and a passed ball. Matt Anderson singled and eventually scored on the wild pitch and Pinney's double down the right-field line for the 4-0 lead.
    
    UCA got one more in the sixth on Tyler Langley's RBI double to the gap in right center. Two more came across in the seventh as catcher Travis Hull hit a ground ball to second base that brought in both Anderson and Logan Preston.

    Hull finished 3 for 4 with 2 RBI, while Pinney was 1 for 4 with 2 RBI. Langley and Townsend both had two hits and Anderson scored a pair of runs. Nicholls second baseman Tanner Vandevere had two of the Colonel's four hits. The Colonels (19-14, 8-8) used four pitchers in the game.

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