CONWAY, Ark. _ Sophomore Tyler Cleveland tossed a gem Friday night to lead the University of Central Arkansas Bears to a 2-0 victory over the Lipscomb Bisons in the ASUN Conference series opener at Bear Stadium.

Cleveland, a right hander from East End, Ark., spun a two-hit shutout, holding the Bisons to a season-low two hits and striking out eight. Cleveland, UCA's closer a year ago, earned his final strikeout in the ninth inning to earn his first victory of the season. UCA (8-12) improved to 3-1 in  conference play in their first home ASUN game in history.

The Bears got a third-inning home run from Cleveland's battery mate Noah Argenta, his third home run of the season, to stake UCA to a 1-0 lead. The Bears added their second run in the sixth when they loaded the bases and got an RBI infield single from freshman second baseman Reid Bowman.

That was all that Cleveland would need as the Bears held the Bisons in check all night, completing the victory in  a crisp 2 hours, 17 minutes. Cleveland held Lipscomb's first four batters in the lineup to a 1-for-16 night. UCA finished with just six hits against Lipscomb's solid starter Michael Dunkelberger, who went 5 2/3 innings, allowing just four hits and striking out seven.

Bowman, a freshman from Little Rock Christian, had two of UCA's six hits, including the RBI base hit to shortstop in the sixth. UCA did leave the bases loaded in both the sixth and seventh innings and committed two errors. The final out of the game came on a long fly ball to left field that Conner Emmet caught at the wall to seal it.

Game 2 of the series is set for 4 p.m. Saturday, with Jesse Barker scheduled for the start for the Bears.