NASHVILLE, Tenn. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears put a scare in No. 5 Vanderbilt on Tuesday night before falling 8-6 to the Southeastern Conference power at Hawkins Field.

    UCA (15-20), which had beaten four Top 10-ranked SEC teams since 2008, trailed 8-6 heading into the ninth inning after the Commodores scored two runs in the eighth to break a 6-6 tie. The Bears put two runners on base against Vandy closer Ben Bowden in the top of the ninth but he got a strikeout to end it and earn his eighth save.

    UCA outhit Vanderbilt 14-10, with senior left fielder Brandon Montalvo going 3 for 5 with 3 RBI. Tyler Langley, Brooks Balisterri, Chris Townsend and Hunter Strong had two hits apiece for the Bears. 

    The Bears took a 3-0 lead in the third inning when Langley, a senior center fielder from Conway, doubled to left field to score freshman Hunter Strong, who had reached on a bunt single. Balisterri reached on a fielder's choice before Chris Townsend's base hit put runners on first and second. Montalvo followed with a two-run double down the left-field line for a 3-0 advantage.

    The Commodores (29-8) answered with five runs on five hits in the fourth inning, including a two-run single and a two-run home run, to take a 5-3 lead. It took only a half inning for the Bears to tie it back up with a Langley walk and consecutive singles by Balisterri and Townsend. Montalvo got a base hit up the middle to bring in Langley and senior third baseman Logan Preston greeted reliever Collin Snider with an RBI single that scored Balisterri.

    Vandy went back in front 6-5 in the bottom of the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Jerren Kendall. That lead lasted until the seventh when the Bears tied it when Balisterri had an infield single, advanced to second on a throwing error, went to third on a ground out scored on a wild pitch.

    The Commodores put across the two runs they needed in the eighth with a double, intentional walk and RBI double by Tyler Campbell, then a sacrifice fly by Connor Kaiser. In the top of the ninth, Montalvo had a one-out base hit to left field. One out later, McCarty had an infield single to third base to bring the go-ahead run to the plate. But Bowden got designated hitter Austin White on strikes to end it.

    UCA reliever Derek Beier (3-1) took the loss, while Snider (3-0) got the win. 
    
    The Bears return to Southland Conference play this weekend, hosting Northwestern State. The series is set for 6 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday at Bear Stadium.