HUNTSVILLE, Texas _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears rode the arm of starting pitcher Tyler Gray and a 17-hit attack Friday night to race past league-leader Sam Houston State in a 13-2 victory in Southland Conference action at Don Sanders Stadium.
The third-place Bears (23-14, 11-5) scored all the runs they would need in the top of the first inning off SHSU starter Nick Mikolajchak (5-4). Junior left fielder Hunter Strong led the offensive charge, going 4 for 6 with two singles, a double and a triple and two runs scored. Junior catcher William Hancock was also 4 for 6 with 2 RBI and a run scored, while Coby Potvin and Colby LeBlanc had three hits each.
UCA also took advantage of 12 walks, including five in a five-run ninth inning that padded its lead. The Bearkats' pitching staff entered the game with a league-leading 2.15 earned run average in conference games. SHSU dropped to 26-13 overall and 13-3 in league play.
Gray, the reigning SLC Pitcher of the Week, turned in his second consecutive complete game, striking out seven and allowing six hits. He did not allow a hit until the sixth inning, with the Bears already enjoying a 7-0 lead at that point. The Bears left 17 runners on base but still scored 13 runs against the defending SLC Tournament champion. UCA swept the regular-season series from SHSU last season but lost to the Bearkats in the title game.
On Friday, the Bears ended the suspense early, scoring three in the first, one in the third and three more in the fourth, knocking out Mikolajchak, who allowed four earned runs and threw 78 pitches in just 3 1/3 innings. UCA's Rigo Aguilar had a two-run single in the first inning and Hancock had an RBI single in the third. In the fourth, Keaton Presley drew a bases-loaded walk, LeBlanc had a sacrifice fly and Aguilar added an run-scoring base hit.
Potvin made it 8-0 with an RBI single in the seventh inning before UCA broke it open with five runs in the ninth, with the help of two hits, five walks and two hit batters. LeBlanc, Hancock, Eddy Sanchez, T.J. Black and Justin McCarty accounted for the runs. The Bearkats finally got to Gray somewhat in the bottom of the ninth, scoring twice on three hits. Gray ended the game with a fly ball to right for the final out.
Game 2 of the series is set for 3 p.m. Saturday.
