CONWAY, Ark. _ A combination of patience and aggressiveness on Sunday carried the University of Central Arkansas Bears to a 13-9 victory over the Bradley Braves at Bear Stadium.

    The Bears (1-2) took the final game of the series with the aid of 15 walks, four wild pitches and a NCAA Division I record eight stolen bases. The 15 walks, issued by a combination of six Bradley pitchers, was the second-most in UCA history and helped the Bears score at least one run in each of the first five innings.

    Tied 2-2 at the end of the first, UCA posted five runs in the bottom of the second, with the big blow a long, two-run home run to right field by junior left fielder Marco Navarro that made it 7-2. The Bears had only 10 hits but took advantage of the control issues of Bradley's pitching staff, which had been solid in the first two games of the series.  All six Bradley pitchers walked at least one batter and six of the seven allowed at least one run.

    Junior transfer Mathew Patton, who started the game as the designated hitter and went 1 for 5, pitched the final 3.2 innings for the Bears, striking out five, allowing four hits and one earned run to earn the victory. Bradley starter Sam Lund got the loss, lasting just two innings and allowing all seven runs while striking out three and walking three.

    After spotting the Braves a 2-0 lead in the first, UCA tied it on Beau Orlando's two-run double to left field that scored Kolby Johnson and Navarro in the bottom of the frame. Johnson had led off the inning with a double and Navarro drew the first walk of the day. Johnson added an RBI double in the second inning and two more runs scored on wild pitches before Navarro's blast.

    Bradley got within 7-5 with three runs in the third but UCA got one back on a double steal, with Johnson taking second and Paul Rouse stealing home in the bottom of the inning. UCA added two more in the fourth with an RBI double by Christian Brasher and a wild pitch that allowed Patton to score from third. Two more came across in the fifth without the aid of a hit as an error and consecutive walks loaded the bases before Orlando drew another walk and Tyler Smith scored on a wild pitch, good for a 12-5 lead.

    Brasher added an RBI base hit in the seventh and Patton allowed one run in the ninth before striking out Brendan Dougherty to end it. Patton, a transfer from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, also induced a big double-play ground ball from the first batter he faced in the top of the sixth to end Bradley's rally.

    Johnson finished 2 for 6 with 2 runs scored, while Orlando was 2 for 2 with 3 RBI, 2 runs scored and 3 walks. Brasher went 2 for 3 with 2 RBI.

    The Bears will host a four-game series with Illinois State this weekend. Game times are 3 p.m. Friday, 1 p.m. for the Saturday doubleheader and 1 p.m. for the series finale on Sunday.