CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears scored five early runs and added four more in the eighth inning to down the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions 9-3 on Tuesday night in non-conference action from Bear Stadium.

    UCA (13-14) finished its six game homestand with a 5-1 mark and now plays seven consecutive road games, beginning with a Southland Conference series at Northwestern State this weekend.

    The Bears made the most of just seven hits on the day, including a home run from junior catcher Justin McCarty. UCA scored twice in both the first and second innings and a single run in the third for an early 5-0 lead. After the Golden Lions (6-17) closed the gap to 5-3 in the top of the eighth, UCA pushed across four more runs with four of their hits in the bottom of the inning.

    Michael Haun drew a leadoff walk and Keaton Presley was hit by a pitch. Jansen McCurdy moved both runners with a sacrifice bunt and Hunter Strong followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 6-3. Rigo Aguilar brought in another run with a sharp single up the middle before McCarty hit his second home run of the year to left field, giving the Bears their 9-3 cushion.

    Junior righthander Ty Tice recorded the final four outs, including a game-ending double play, to earn the Bears' first save of the season. Sophomore Cody Davenport (1-0) got the victory with two hitless innings.

    In the bottom of the first inning, Hunter Strong's RBI double and Rigo Aguilar's sacrifice fly gave the Bears an early 2-0 lead. In the second inning, Eddy Sanchez had a sacrifice fly and Presley an RBI single to make it 4-0. A fielder's choice by Josh Somdecerff scored Aguilar in the third.

    Aguilar, a junior third baseman from El Paso, Texas, finished 2 for 3 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. Sanchez drew three walks and McCarty was hit by a pitch twice. Strong and McCarty also had two RBI each.