CONWAY, Ark. _ A four-run fourth inning carried the Bradley Braves to a 5-2 victory over the University of Central Arkansas Bears in the 2019 season opener on a cold, windy Friday at Bear Stadium.
The Bears grabbed a 2-0 lead in the third inning when junior designated hitter Marco Navarro had a two-run double to left center that brought in Cole Fiori and Joshmar Doran, who drew back-to-back walks to start the inning.
But the Braves answered quickly, getting a leadoff triple from Brendan Dougherty in the top of the next inning. After Andy Shadid walked, Eli Rawlinson doubled down the left-field line to to score one run and a groundout added another. A fielding error on UCA allowed the go-ahead run to come across and Bradley added one more on an RBI single for a 4-2 lead.
Junior lefty Brad Verel relieved UCA starter Cody Davenport (0-1) in the fifth and retired seven straight Braves before allowing a solo home run in the eighth by Bradley's Rawlinson. Verel went five innings, striking out five and allowing three hits and one earned run in his first outing as a Bear.
Bradley's Cole Cook tossed the final five innings for the Braves, striking out nine and allowing five hits and no runs for the win.
Freshman Kolby Johnson and Navarro had two hits each for UCA, with Navarro picking up both RBIs. Luke Shadid had three of Bradley's eight hits.
Game 2 is set for 1 p.m. Saturday, with the series finale at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Three former Bears, Hunter Strong, Tyler Gray and William Hancock, all three Kansas City Royals draftees a year ago, will throw out the first pitch Saturday.
