NEW ORLEANS, La. _ A 22-hit attack carried the University of Central Arkansas Bears to a 16-7 victory over the New Orleans Privateers on Saturday in Southland Conference action at Maestri Field.
The win gives the Bears (14-9, 6-2) the series victory after Friday's win. The series finale is set for 1 p.m. Sunday.
UCA got a pair of home runs from senior center fielder Keaton Presley _ his team-high fifth of the season _ and Josh Somdecerff, the latter a grand slam in the ninth inning that completed the blowout. Junior catcher William Hancock led the charge, going 4 for 5 and scoring three runs. Four other Bears had three hits each and two more had a pair. Somdecerff finished 3 for 7 with a career-high six RBI and two runs scored. Junior left fielder Hunter Strong had a pair of doubles and went 3 for 6 with 2 RBI and scored twice.
All nine UCA starters scored at least one run and eight starters recorded a hit. The 22 hits were the most since the Bears had 22 against Incarnate Word on May 7, 2016. UCA senior lefthander Will Brand pitched 4 2/3 innings of relief to pick up the victory. He allowed four hits and just one earned run. UNO starter John Michael Stephens lasted only1 1/3 innings and took the loss, allowing five hits and four earned runs.
The Bears took an early lead with two runs in the first and two more in the second. Somdecerff, a senior shortstop, and senior designated hitter Justin McCarty both had RBI doubles in the first to stake UCA starter Tanner Wiley to a 2-0 lead. In the second, Strong added another RBI double down the right-field line and Somdecerff came through with an RBI single to score T.J. Black with the fourth run.
UCA, which had five multi-run innings, got a single run in the third when it loaded the bases and McCarty scored on a wild pitch. After the Privateers (9-14, 2-6) got a pair of runs in the bottom of the third, UCA tacked on three in the fourth, with an RBI double by Tyler Smith, an RBI single by McCarty and another by Rigo Aguilar. Another three runs in the sixth made it a 11-4 lead. T.J. Black had a two-run single and Strong's groundout brought in Brett D'Amico.
Presley's leadoff home run in the seventh made it 12-4 before the Bears chalked up four more in the ninth. Three consecutive base hits by Aguilar, Hancock and Michael Haun set up Somdercerff's grand slam, his second home run of the season.
The Privateers had 13 hits, with four players getting two apiece.
