CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears got a two-out RBI single from junior catcher William Hancock in the bottom of the eighth inning on Friday night in a 7-6 come-from-behind win over Southeastern Louisiana in a battle for second place in the Southland Conference.

Hancock, from Russellville, finished 3 for 4 and also threw out four baserunners _ tying the school record _ against the top base-stealing team in the conference. The Bears trailed 6-2 in the middle of the sixth inning but a combination of relievers Will Brand and Conner Williams shut the Lions down over the final three innings, while UCA scored the final five runs of the game to win its eighth consecutive game.

UCA (31-18, 17-8) pulled even with SLU (32-19, 19-9) in the SLC standings, trailing only Sam Houston State, which lost to Houston Baptist on Friday night.

The Bears plated two runs in the bottom of the first inning off SLU starter Josh Green. Keaton Presley led off with a base hit and Coby Potvin walked. After a ground out advanced both runners, both scored on a throwing error. The Lions tied it at 2-2 in the fourth inning off UCA starter Tanner Wiley, using two hits and an error.

SLU put up another run in the fifth and three more in the sixth to go up 6-2 before the Bears began to chip away. UCA got two back in the sixth on a double by HunterStrong, a ground out by Tyler Smith and a sacrifice fly by Rigo Aguilar. Two more in the seventh, on an RBI double by Presley and an RBI single by Potvin, tied it at 6-6.

Williams came on in the eighth inning and struck out three in that inning and then worked around a ground-rule double by Drew Avans to start the ninth. He got the first out on a line out to first baseman Tyler Smith, the second when Hancock caught Avans trying to steal third and the final out on a ground ball to Josh Somdecerff at shortstop.

Presley finished 2 for 4 with 1 RBI and 2 runs scored, while Strong continued his hot hitting, going 2 for 4 with a run scored. Wiley, who had his start on the mound bumped up a day, struck out 5 and allowed 3 runs. Senior Will Brand pitched the middle three innings, allowing 5 hits, 2 earned runs and striking out 3.

The Bears have now won four straight against the Lions at Bear Stadium, including a sweep of their series in 2016.    

Game 2 of the series is set for 4 p.m. Saturday, with graduation ceremonies preceding the first pitch.