BEAUMONT, Texas _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears got a combined four-hitter from starter Cody Davenport and reliever Conner Williams to down the Lamar Cardinals 7-2 on Thursday night in their Southland Conference series opener at Vincent-Beck Stadium.
Davenport, a senior from Fayetteville, went seven innings, allowing four hits, two runs and striking out four to win for the sixth time this season and the 21st time in his record-setting career. Williams, from Conway, struck out four of the six Cardinals he faced over the final two innings, throwing 15 of his 20 pitches for strikes.
The Bears (28-24) won their fourth consecutive SLC game and remained in a second-place tie in the SLC standings with an 18-10 record. Lamar dropped to 17-35 and 8-20.
UCA got three hits and a pair of RBI from junior shortstop Christian Brasher, and two hits each from senior first baseman Tyler Smith and junior right fielder Alonso Bibiano. The Bears out-hit the Cardinals 11-4.
The Bears plated four runs in the third inning against Lamar starter Dylan Johnson (0-5). Beau Orlando had a sacrifice fly to score Jay Anderson. Cole Fiori drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in Josh Ragan. Brasher than slapped a single up the middle to add the other two runs.
In the sixth, Tanner Wiley's groundout scored Anderson and Bibiano's RBI single to left brought home Smith for a 6-1 lead. The Cardinals added a run in the bottom of that inning but UCA added the final score in the ninth when Orlando led off with a double and eventually scored on Fiori's infield single.
Game 2 of the series is set for 6 p.m. Friday, with the series finale at 2 p.m. Saturday.
