BEAUMONT, Texas _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears rallied for three runs in the ninth inning Saturday but Lamar got a walk-off single in the bottom of the inning for a 7-6 victory in Southland Conference play at Vincent-Beck Stadium.

    UCA (9-9, 3-2) scored three in the ninth when Michael Haun hit a one-out single to left and Tyler Langley followed with a walk. Austin White's double to left center scored Haun and after a strikeout, Logan Preston's infield single combined with an error brought in White and Langley. Hunter Strong then singled to left field but Preston was thrown out at the plate for the third out.

    The Cardinals loaded the bases in the ninth off UCA closer Jacob Murray with a walk, a base hit and an intentional walk. Third baseman Cutter McDowell then laced a base hit down the left-field line to win it for Lamar (12-7, 3-2). 

    Langley, Preston and Haun all had three hits for the Bears, who were out-hit 10-9 by the Cardinals.

    The Cardinals put up three early runs in the bottom of the second inning. A double, an error and a walk loaded the bases before Stijn van der Meer had an RBI single to center. Jake Nash drew an RBI walk and Bryndan Arredondo brought in the third run with a sacrifice fly. UCA answered in the top of the fifth on Haun's bunt single and Langley's RBI triple to the left-center gap.

    But Lamar added a two-run home run by Reid Russell in the fifth inning to push its lead to 5-1. The Cardinals added one in the seventh before UCA scored two in the eighth to make it 6-3. Brandon Montalvo walked and Preston followed with a base hit to right center and another error. Hunter Strong grounded out to score Montalvo and Preston came in on William Hancock's sacrifice fly.

    Murray (0-2) took the loss while Lamar reliever Jimmy Johnson (5-0) got the victory. 

    The series finale is set for 1 p.m. Sunday. UCA returns home Thursday, hosting Houston Baptist in SLC action. Game times are 6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and 1 p.m. on Saturday.