CONWAY, Ark. _ The McNeese State pitching staff shut down the University of Central Arkansas offense on Saturday to take the Southland Conference series finale 7-1 and avoid the sweep on "Senior Day" at Bear Stadium.

    MSU starter Ethan Stremmel (5-4) held the Bears to just three hits and a single run in five innings of work. The bullpen behind him _ Cole Prejean, Cory LaPeze and Collin Kober _ was even more effective, allowing just one hit and striking out eight over the final four innings. 

    The Bears (27-22, 16-14), who had beaten the Cowboys seven straight times,including the first two games of the series, got their only run in the fifth inning when Matt Anderson walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch, to third on a ground out and scored on Tyler Langley's single to right field.

    UCA loaded the bases against Kober. the MSU closer, in the ninth inning, all with two outs, but could not bring in a run. 

    The Cowboys finished with 12 hits, including two each from Billy Sommers, Connor Crane and James Cantu. UCA starter Riley Echols (3-4), the first of five UCA pitchers, took the loss. Freshman Ty Tice had two hits for the Bears, who won four of their final six regular-season games.

    Seven seniors played their final games at Bear Stadium on Saturday, including outfielder Nick Rougeau of Conway, catcher Charles Deckard of Blue Ridge, Texas, third baseman Nate Ferrell of Griffin, Ga., third baseman Brad Dillenberger of Waterloo, Ill., pitcher Josh Markel of Olathe, Kan., pitcher Chris Caudle of Greenwood and outfielder Wesley Hoover of Conway.

    The Bears, who qualified for their fourth straight Southland Conference Tournament last weekend, open play at 9 a.m. Wednesday as the sixth seed, taking on the No. 3 Nicholls Colonels at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, Texas.