CONWAY, Ark. _ University of Central Arkansas junior right hander Cody Davenport tossed a one-hit shutout on Sunday afternoon as the Bears beat the Houston Baptist Huskies 5-0 in the second game of a Southland Conference doubleheader at Bear Stadium. HBU won the opener 3-1 to win the series.
Davenport (3-1) did not allow a hit until the fifth inning and finished with seven strikeouts and no walks to go with the one hit. It was UCA's first one-hitter since April 5, 2014 when Chris Caudle allowed one base hit in a 3-0 victory over Southeastern Louisiana in Conway.
The Bears turned nine hits into five runs, getting the only run they would need in the bottom of the first inning off HBU starter Brady Batten. Hunter Strong led off the game with a shot that went off the right fielder's glove, with Strong ending up on third base. The Huskies threw Strong out at the plate on a ground ball _ one of two UCA runners thrown out at the plate in the inning _ but the Bears eventually scored on Colby LeBlanc's RBI single that brought in Josh Somdecerff.
UCA (18-13, 10-5) made it 2-0 in the fourth when Keaton Presley led off with a double and scored on Rigo Aguilar's base hit up the middle. Another run in the sixth, off an Aguilar double and sacrifice fly from Dusty Wright, made it 3-0. UCA then added two more insurance runs in the seventh inning when Strong scored on Presley's sacrifice fly and Aguilar had another RBI single up the middle.
Aguilar went 3 for 4 with 2 RBI and Strong was 2 for 4 with a run scored to lead the Bears' offense.
In the opener, HBU starter Matthew McCollough outdueled UCA starter Tanner Wiley, allowing just one run and striking out 10 to improve to 4-1. Wiley (2-1) also went the distance, allowing eight hits, three runs and striking out eight. Presley was the only UCA player with multiple hits, going 2 for 4. Junior first baseman Tyler Smith had a solo home run, his second of the season, in the fourth inning for UCA's lone run.
The Bears play at Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 3 p.m. Tuesday and then return home to host UT-Martin in a non-conference weekend series, beginning at 6 p.m. Friday.
