CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas _ The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders got a three-run, walk-off home run in the 12th inning on Friday night to beat the University of Central Arkansas Bears 7-4 in their Southland Conference series opener at Chapman Field.

The Bears (10-17, 6-11) got 4.2 scoreless innings from freshman closer Tyler Cleveland before Islanders' senior Mike Williams connected for the three-run home run, his only hit of the night, to give A&M-CC its fourth consecutive walk-off victory over the Bears, dating back to the 2019 season. Cleveland, with a career-high 92 pitches, allowed five hits and struck out six in his longest career outing.

The Bears had scored the go-ahead fourth run in the top of the fifth inning when senior junior right fielder Connor Emmet led off with a first-pitch double to right field. A ground ball by Kolby Johnson moved him to third and Beau Orlando recorded his second RBI of the night to bring in Emmet and give the Bears a 4-3 lead. That held up until the Islanders tied it in the eighth inning.

The Bears grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the first inning off Islanders' starter J.T. Moeller. Emmet led off that inning as well with a base hit to right field. Johnson followed with a sacrifice bunt and Orlando's single moved him to third. Hunter Hicks had an RBI ground out and Benny Ayala added an RBI double to make it 2-0.

The Islanders (10-22, 6-10) answered quickly with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning on a walk and two base hits. UCA re-took the lead in the third when Johnson singled, stole second and advanced to third when the A&M-CC catcher threw it into center field. Orlando then gave the Bears a 3-2 lead with a ground out to third base. 

Once again, the Islanders knotted it at 3-3 in the fourth with a single and an RBI double.

Neither team scored in the 9th through 11th innings, while both left runners on base.

UCA senior Conner Williams, a senior from Conway and former closer, threw a career-high 5 innings, allowing 7 hits and 3 runs while striking out 3. Freshman Trent Gregson allowed one run in two innings before giving way to Cleveland with one on and no outs in the eighth.

Emmet went 3 for 6 for the Bears, while Orlando had a pair of hits and two RBI.

The series continues Saturday with a 2 p.m. doubleheader.