THIBODAUX, La. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears managed just four hits off Nicholls starter Justin Sinibaldi on Friday night and dropped their Southland Conference series opener 8-2 to the Colonels at Ray E. Didier Field.

    The Colonels (15-20, 6-10) used a five-run seventh inning to blow open the game and hand the Bears (14-18, 5-8) their fifth consecutive SLC loss. Sinibaldi tossed seven scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out 11. The Bears finally broke through with two runs in the top of the eighth inning but the Colonels tacked on another in the bottom of the inning to set the final.

    UCA senior righthander Connor Gilmore (2-6) took the loss, going 6 1/3 innings, allowing six hits and six earned runs. The Bears committed three errors, had a wild pitch and hit a batter. The Colonels made the most of their nine hits and did not commit an error.
    
    UCA senior left fielder Brandon Montalvo had two of UCA's four hits.  Senior second baseman Chris Townsend and sophomore right fielder Ty Tice had the Bears' only two RBIs, Townsend's on a single that scored Austin White and Tice's on a sacrifice fly that brought in Brooks Balisterri.

    Trevor Flynn, Kyle Reese and Quade Smith had two hits each for Nicholls. Sinibaldi improved to 4-3 on the season for Nicholls.

    Game 2 is set for 6 p.m. Saturday.