NEW ORLEANS, La. _ For the second straight night, the University of Central Arkansas Bears rallied for a 9-7 Southland Conference victory over the New Orleans Privateers in a weather-delayed game at Maestri Field.

    The Bears (18-22, 9-11), who survived a five-hour, 57-minute delay for rain and lightning, got a lead-off home run from senior center fielder Tyler Langley when the game restarted at 8:30 p.m., tying it at 6-6 in the top of the sixth inning. UNO (25-17, 9-11) got the lead back quickly in the bottom of the frame with an RBI single by Aaron Palmer.

    In the eighth, Tyler Langley, Chris Townsend and Brandon Montalvo had base hits to knot it up again at 7-7. UCA sophomore Tyler Gray record two strikeouts and a groundout in the bottom of the eighth to set up the ninth-inning comeback for the Bears. 

    In the top of the ninth, facing UNO closer Daniel Martinez for the second consecutive night, senior third baseman Logan Preston led off with a walk and went to second on Hunter Strong's bunt. After a strikeout, Michael Haun reached on a fielding error. With two outs, Langley struck out but Martinez' pitch got away from the UNO catcher Kyle Bracey for the second consecutive night, allowing Preston to score and Haun to advance all the way to third. He then scored to make it a 9-7 lead on Brooks Balisterri's single to right.

    Gray (4-1), from Fort Smith, was the winner Friday night and got the victory again, striking out two Privateers in the ninth inning. Martinez, who threw his 13th wild pitch of the season, took the loss to fall to 3-3.

    UCA got an RBI triple from freshman catcher William Hancock and an RBI double by sophomore Ty Tice to take a 2-1 lead in the second inning. The Bears made it 4-2 with consecutive home runs from Matt Anderson and Logan Preston in the third.  A four-run fifth inning gave the Privateers a 6-5 lead heading into the lengthy weather delay.

    Langley finished 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored, while Anderson, Strong, Hancock, Montalvo and Townsend had two hits apiece for the Bears, who out-hit the Privateers 16-11. Senior Derek Beier worked  2 2/3 innings out of the bullpen, allowing one earned run and two hits. Gray pitched the final two innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three.

    The Privateers scored six runs in the first two innings of the nightcap, eventually salvaging a 7-3 victory to close the series. UCA managed only three hits against three UNO pitchers.

    The Bears return home next weekend, hosting Incarnate Word. Game times are 6 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday at Bear Stadium.