CONWAY, Ark. _ University of Central Arkansas senior Cody Davenport tossed a complete-game, seven-hitter as the Bears won the opener of their Southland Conference series with the McNeese State Cowboys 4-2 on Friday afternoon at Bear Stadium. 

McNeese State hits its third solo home run of the day to win the nightcap 2-1. The loss was UCA's sixth one-run loss in conference play as the Bears (14-17)  remained at .500 with a 7-7 record. The deciding game of the series is set for noon Sunday.

Davenport, a righthander from Fayetteville, Ark., allowed two early home runs in the first and third innings but nothing after that. He scattered seven hits with no walks and one strikeout to improve to 2-2 on the season and keep his earned-run average under 2.00. The Bears gave him three runs to work with in the fourth inning, and added another in the fifth to complete the scoring. Davenport tied Conner Gilmore for the school record for games started with his 48th career start on the mound.

In the fourth, Josh Ragan led off with a base hit and Marco Navarro followed with another. Beau Orlando's sacrifice bunt moved up both runners and senior Tyler Smith followed with an RBI single to center to make it 2-1. Freshman Kolby Johnson did the same thing, scoring Navarro to tie the game. Freshman Bryce Dodd grounded out for another RBI and a 3-2 lead for the Bears.

UCA pushed the lead to 4-2 on Ragan's sacrifice fly that scored catcher Nathaniel Sagdahl, who walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on a ground out. Ragan, UCA's leading hitter and one of the top hitters in the SLC, finished the game 3 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored. Johnson went 2 for 4 with an RBI.

MSU pitchers Jonathan Ellison and Aidan Anderson held the Bears to just six hits and one run in the second game, despite UCA leaving the bases loaded in the first inning, two on in the fourth and one each in the seventh and ninth innings. Trailing 2-1 in the final inning, Smith led off with a base hit to left field. A sacrifice bunt moved pinch runner Cole Fiori to second and a wild pitch put him on third with just one out. But Anderson got a pair of strikeouts to end it and earn his fifth save of the season.

UCA freshman starter Noah Cameron (3-1) had another quality start despite the loss, going seven innings and allowing six hits, two runs and striking out six. Senior Conner Williams pitched the final two innings, striking out three and allowing just one hit.