LAKE CHARLES, La. _ University of Central Arkansas freshman Hunter Strong had three hits Friday night, none bigger than an 11th-inning, opposite-field home run that gave the Bears a 5-4 victory over the McNeese State Cowboys in their Southland Conference series opener at Joe Miller Ballpark.
Strong, a first baseman from Sheridan, went 3 for 5 and had the Bears' only two hits through the first five innings against McNeese starter Kaleb Fontenot, who struck out eight in seven innings of work. The Bears won their sixth consecutive game overall and their sixth SLC game in their last seven.
Sophomore Tyler Gray (5-1) of Fort Smith pitched the final four innings for the Bears, allowing three hits and one earned run on a home run by Shane Selman in the eighth that tied it at 4-4. UCA had taken a 4-3 lead in the top of the eighth with two hits and an error. Senior Brandon Montalvo led off the inning with a base hit and Matt Anderson reached on an error.
Trent Fontenot replaced Kaleb Fontenot and he recorded two outs before sophomore catcher Justin McCarty pulled a double down the left-field line to score both runners.
The Bears (24-23, 13-12) and Cowboys (24-22, 13-15) both went in order in the ninth inning and UCA did the same in the 10th against McNeese closer Collin Kober, who took the loss to drop to 2-4. MSU got a base runner in the 10th on a walk but Gray got a ground out and fly ball to end the threat.
In the 11th, Strong led off with his second home run of the season, this one to left field against Kober. Gray allowed a two-out single in the bottom of the frame but got MSU's leading hitter Connor Crane, hitting .350, to fly out to right field to end it.
UCA freshman Cody Davenport pitched seven innings, allowing three earned runs and striking out 2. No other UCA player besides Strong had multiple hits. MSU's Ricky Ramirez and Will Fox both went 3 for 5 as the Cowboys out-hit the Bears 14-8.
The Cowboys have now lost six consecutive SLC games and dropped behind the Bears in the battle for one of the eight spots in the SLC postseason tournament. Game 2 of the series is set for 3 p.m. Saturday.
