CONWAY, Ark.._ Stellar pitching carried the University of Central Arkansas Bears to a 4-1 victory in the nightcap of a non-conference doubleheader with Illinois State and earned the Bears a split on Sunday at Bear Stadium.
UCA, which dropped the opener 8-0, leads the series 2-1, with the finale set for noon Monday.
UCA junior starter Mark Moyer of Russellville tossed 5 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out five and allowing five hits, and pitching out of bases-loaded jam in the fifth. Senior Conner Williams of Conway pitched the final 3 2/3 innings, striking out four more, allowing four hits and one run while walking none to earn the save. UCA made the most of its seven hits, which included an RBI single by junior center fielder Josh Ragan on a 15-pitch at-bat in the first inning that gave the Bears the lead for good.
UCA managed just the one hit through the first five innings against ISU starter Matt Walker but finally added to its lead in the sixth with a pair of runs. Brett Wicklund took over on the mound for the Redbirds and Ragan greeted him with a leadoff single up the middle, and Beau Orlando followed with another. Pinch hitter Alonso Bibiano moved the runners up with a sacrifice bunt before junior catcher Nathaniel Sagdahl stroked a two-run base hit to center field for a 3-0 lead.
The Bears added a run in the seventh when junior second baseman Cole Fiori led off the inning with a base hit, stole second base and scored on a throwing error by the ISU third baseman. The Redbirds picked up their lone run in the eighth with a pair of hits and a groundout, but Williams struck out pinch hitter Tyson Hays to end the threat. In the ninth, ISU's Nick Zouras blooped a single into short right field but was thrown out at second by an alert Bibiano. Willams ended the game with a strikeout and line out to right.
Ragan finished 2 for 4 and junior shortstop Joshmar Doran was 2 for 2.
The Redbirds (4-2) exploded for seven runs in the first two innings in Sunday's opener but UCA's bullpen work from Gavin Stone (3 strikeouts and no hits in 1 1/3 innings) and Tanner Wiley (6 Ks and 1 run in 6.0 innings) held them in check from there. However, the Bears' offense recorded just three hits against a trio of ISU pitchers, including a double by Doran. The trio of Jeff Lindgren, Derek Salata and Connoer Peplow combined for nine strikeouts.
Game 4 of the rain-delayed series is set for noon Monday. The Bears will then travel to Springfield, Mo., on Tuesday and Wednesday to take on regional power Missouri State. Game times both days is 3 p.m.
