CONWAY, Ark. _ The Northern Illinois Huskies scored three unanswered runs in the final two innings to pull away for a 6-3 victory over the University of Central Arkansas Bears on Saturday at Bear Stadium.

The win evened the season-opening series at 1-1 with the finale set for 1 p.m. Sunday. 

The Bears had 11 hits but also left 12 runners on base on the day. Senior designated hitter Joey Pinney finished 3 for 4 with an RBI in his first action since the 2015 season due to injuries. Fellow seniors Keaton Presley and Eddie Sanchez had two hits apiece from the top two spots in the order.

The Bears, who beat the Huskies 3-2 in Friday's opener, took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning Saturday when Presley led off with a single and scored on Pinney's base hit to right field. The Huskies scored twice in the second inning off UCA starter Cody Davenport, but the Bears tied it back at 2-2 in the bottom of the second.
Junior center fielder Coby Potvin had a two-out bunt base hit, advanced to second a wild pitch and scored on Presley's double down the left-field line. The Huskies re-took the lead in the fifth with a single run but UCA tied it again in the seventh on consecutive singles by Tyler Smith and Pinney and a NIU error.

NIU answered with a single run in the eighth off UCA reliever Will Brand, and two more in the ninth. UCA then went in order in the bottom of the ninth as NIU's Andrew Frandenreider earned the save. Donovin Sims pitched five innings in relief for the Huskies to get the victory. 

Brand took the loss, allowing three runs in two innings. Davenport went 5 1/3 innings, striking out five and walking five.