NEW ORLEANS, La.. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears got the tying run to third base in the ninth inning Sunday but could not complete the rally in a 4-3 loss to the New Orleans Privateers at Maestri Field.

The Bears (19-24, 14-18) split the series with the third-place Privateers (27-21, 22-14) and have two Southland Conference series remaining to earn a berth in the postseason tournament.

The Privateers turned three hits into three runs in the first inning and never trailed. UCA chipped away at the deficit with a single run in the third on junior right fielder Connor Emmet's team-leading eighth home run, and another in the sixth on Taylor Daniell's sacrifice fly that scored Emmet.

UCA closed it to 4-3 in the seventh when Connor Flagg's sacrifice bunt brought home Drew Sturgeon. But the Privateers' sophomore closer Caleb Seroski worked out of that jam, got the Bears in order in the eighth and stranded Kolby Johnson at third base in the ninth with his final two strikeouts of the game to seal his 10th save.

The Bears managed just five hits off Seroski and UNO starter Tyler LeBlanc. Johnson went 2 for 4 for the Bears, while Emmet scored a pair of runs. Senior Conner Williams tossed 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief while freshman Tyler Cleveland struck out three over the final two innings.

UCA is scheduled to host Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 6 p.m. Tuesday before heading to Houston to take on Houston Baptist in SLC play next weekend.