CONWAY, Ark. _ For the second consecutive day, the University of Central Arkansas Bears put together a two-hit, complete-game shutout on Saturday in a 6-0 victory over the Lipscomb Bisons in ASUN Conference action at Bear Stadium.
This time it was sophomore right hander
Jesse Barker, who tossed a career-high nine innings, striking out a career high seven Bisons and allowing just one extra-base hit. He followed Friday's starter
Tyler Cleveland, who also went the distance and allowed just two hits and no runs.
Offensively, junior first baseman
Hunter Hicks gave the Bears all the runs they needed with a three-run home run over the left-center wall, his second home run of the season. Sophomore third baseman
A.J. Mendolia added a solo shot in the eighth inning for his first career long ball.
UCA improved to 4-1 in ASUN play, with four consecutive victories, and won its second consecutive conference series. The series finale is set for 1 p.m. Sunday.
UCA finished with six hits, including two by leadoff batter
Kolby Johnson, who also scored three of UCA's six runs. Hicks had a career-high four runs batted in, adding another in the third inning with a ground out that scored Johnson for a 4-0 lead.
Barker (2-2) struck out the side in the eighth inning and finished with an efficient 92 pitches in his first complete game. In the ninth, Barker recorded his seventh strikeout and a pair of fly balls in the ninth to seal it.
Noah Thompson (2-1) took his first loss of the season for the Bisons (11-12, 0-5), allowing four earned runs. Lipscomb used four pitchers for the second straight day.