CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears plated a season-high nine runs and got a dominating performance from closer Conner Williams in a 9-6 victory over the SIU-Edwardsville Cougars on Friday night at Bear Stadium.

The Bears (4-5) scored in five consecutive innings in the middle of the game and then turned it over to Williams, a senior right hander from Conway. Williams struck out five of the seven batters he faced, including all three in the ninth inning, to earn his fourth save.

UCA starter Gavin Stone, a junior from Lake City, Ark., tossed six innings, allowing 7 hits and 2 earned runs while striking out 7. UCA's three pitchers _ senior Brad Verel in the seventh _ combined for 14 strikeouts and just one walk. 

The Bears fell behind 2-0 in the second but then turned in back-to-back three-run innings in the third and fourth innings to grab the lead for good. UCA added single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh and then withstood a three-run seventh by the Cougars (4-4).

In the third inning, the Bears sent nine batters to the plate and got an RBI single by second baseman Benny Ayala, another by left fielder Cole Fiori and a bases-loaded walk by Josh Ragan for a 3-2 lead. UCA made it 6-2 in the fourth when Connor Emmet led off with a triple to right center and scored on Coby Potvin's squeeze bunt. Beau Orlando doubled down the left-field line to score Potvin and then eventually scored himself on a wild pitch.

Catcher Nathaniel Sagdahl opened the fifth inning with a double in the right-center gap, went to third on a passed ball and came in on RJ Pearson's sacrifice fly. In the sixth, Orlando drew his second of three walks and scored on another wild pitch for a 8-2 lead. After SIUE rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh to get within 8-6, UCA got another run in the bottom when Josh Ragan had a base hit and scored on an error.

Williams relieved Verel with two outs in the seventh and struck out SIUE right fielder Brett Pierson for the final out. He added another strikeout in a perfect eighth and then struck out the side in the ninth, all three swinging.

UCA's Emmet went 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored from the leadoff spot, while Orlando was 1 for 1 and scored three times.

Game 2 of the series is set for 2 p.m. Saturday.