CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears completed a rare sweep of the Sam Houston State Bearkats on Sunday with a 7-5 victory in Southland Conference action at Bear Stadium.

    The Bears (22-18, 10-8) knocked off the second-place Bearkats (26-14, 13-5), handing them their fifth consecutive loss and first conference series sweep since losing three straight to the Bears in 2014 in Conway. 

    UCA scored singles runs in seven consecutive innings, including the final two in the seventh and eighth innings, to break a 5-5 deadlock. Justin McCarty's sacrifice fly scored Hunter Strong for the go-ahead run in the seventh. A bunt by Michael Haun and a throwing error by the Bearkats made it 7-5 in the bottom of the eighth inning.

    UCA senior Brandon Hagerla (6-3) pitched the final 3 2/3 innings, allowing only four hits and no runs while striking out two, both in the ninth inning with two runners on base. Starter Mark Moyer went 5 1/3 innings, striking out three and allowing eight hits.

    SHSU, which committed nine errors in the series and three on Sunday, used five pitchers, with reliever Hayden Wesneski (2-1) picking up the loss, allowing the final three runs.

    An RBI single by second baseman Eddy Sanchez gave the Bears a 1-0 lead in the second inning. SHSU scored twice in the top of the third but UCA answered with William Hancock's ground-out RBI in the bottom of the inning. The Bears tied it at 3-3 in the fourth on Michael Haun's sacrifice bunt that scored Brooks Balisterri.

    In the fifth, Balisterri singled to left center to score Jansen McCurdy, and Eddy Sanchez singled and eventually scored on a wild pitch in the sixth. The go-ahead run in the seventh resulted from a leadoff single by Hunter Strong, who advanced to second and third on a bunt and throwing error. He made it 6-5 on Justin McCarty's sacrifice fly to center field.

    Rigo Aguilar opened the eighth inning with a sharp double to right field, moved to third on a bunt and scored on another bunt and throwing error to set the final at 7-5.



    Sanchez finished 3 for 3, while Balisterri, Strong and William Hancock had two hits each, including Strong's league-leading 18th double.

    The Bears will host Round 2 of the "Rock N Roar Rivalry" with the Little Rock Trojans as the home team on Tuesday night at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.