CONWAY, Ark. _ Sophomore Tyler Gray pitched a five-hit shutout Tuesday night as the University of Central Arkansas Bears beat the UAPB Golden Lions 4-0 in non-conference action at Bear Stadium.

    Gray, from Fort Smith, allowed just five singles and got help from a pair of doubles plays to improve to 2-1 on the season with the third complete game of his career. 

    The Bears (13-14) back Gray with single runs in the third and fifth innings, then put the game away with a pair of runs in the eighth. In the third inning, first baseman Justin McCarty led off with a double to the left-center gap and moved to third on Tyler Langley's bunt single. Right fielder Michael Haun scored McCarty with a sacrifice fly to right for a 1-0 lead.

    Shortstop Brooks Balisterri led off the fifth with a double to the same spot as McCarty's and McCarty followed with an RBI single up the middle to push the lead to 2-0. In the eighth, the Bears sent eight batters to the plate and scored twice on Logan Preston's base hit to left and a walk to Balisterri with the bases loaded.

    Meanwhile, Gray was cruising along, facing just 30 batters, striking out eight and walking one. McCarty finished 2 for 4 with 1 RBI and 1 run scored as UCA made the most of its six hits. UAPB was led by Julian Jones, who went 2 for 3. UAPB starter Ashton Holdridge (0-3) took the loss, the first of five pitchers for the Golden Lions.
    
    UCA travels to Corvallis, Ore., this weekend to face the Top 10 Oregon State Beavers in a three-game series.