NEW ORLEANS, La.. _ It was a tale of two games Saturday at Maestri Field as the University of Central Arkansas Bears and the New Orleans Privateers traded blowout victories in Southland Conference action.

After being shut out (11-0) for just the second time this season in Game 1, the Bears responded with an 8-0 blanking of their own in the nightcap to take a 2-1 lead in the series, with the final game set for 1 p.m. Sunday.

In Game 2, the Bears ((19-23, 14-17)  pounded out 11 hits, including a pair of home runs from junior right fielder Conner Emmet and junior designated hitter Taylor Daniell. After junior starter Cole Halpin went 3 1/3 scoreless innings, senior Conner Williams came on for the next 2 2/3 and struck out four and allowed no hits to earn his second victory of the season. 

UCA freshman closer Tyler Cleveland struck out six and allowed just two hits over the final three innings for his team-high eighth save. In all, UCA's trio struck out 12 and walked just three while allowing four total hits.

The Bears got a single run in the top of the first on an RBI single by sophomore Kolby Johnson that scored A.J. Mendolia. Johnson, a left fielder from Pearland, Texas, finished 3 for 4 with 2 RBI and a run scored. UCA pushed the lead to 4-0 with a three-run sixth. Daniell hit a two-out solo home run, Hunter Hicks had an RBI double and Drew Sturgeon picked up the third RBI with an infield single.

UCA then put it out of reach in the ninth with four more runs, including Emmet's team-leading seventh home run, a two-run shot that scored catcher Nathaniel Sagdahl, who had a leadoff walk against new UNO reliever Beau Blanchard. Johnson's ground out brought in Coby Potvin and Mendolia also scored on a wild pitch to set the final.

Mendolia and Daniell had two hits apiece, while Mendolia scored twice.

In the seven-inning Game 1, the second-place Privateers (26-21, 21-14) held UCA to just two hits while recording 11, including a home run and a pair of doubles off three UCA pitchers. UNO ace Chris Turpin (8-2) went the distance for the Privateers, striking out seven and walking two. Pearce Howard led the Privateers at the plate, going 2 for 4 with 4 RBI.