NASHVILLE, Tenn. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears finally dropped their first ASUN series of the season on Sunday, losing the series finale 8-6 to the Lipscomb Bisons at Dugan Field. UCA had won six consecutive series, the only team in the conference to not lose a series.

UCA (19-23, 13-8) dropped out of a first-place tie in the West Division with the loss.

The Bears took an early 1-0 lead in the first whe Drew Pollum knocked in Kolby Johnson with a single to center field. But the Bisons came right back with three runs on five hits in the bottom of the inning, chasing UCA starter Cade Fenton. 

UCA answered with three runs in the second to grab a 4-3 lead. Tanner Leonard, Connor Emmet and Hunter Hicks all contributed RBI singles. That lead was short-lived as the Bisons put up three more in the bottom of the second.

From there, the offenses were quiet for several innings as junior Andrew Shoultz was solid out of the bullpen for the Bears.

The Bisons finally got to Shoultz in the seventh after a career-high eight strikeouts and a career high for pitches when Maddux Houghton hit a solo home run to left field. Hicks then got the Bears within 7-6 with a two-run home run in the eighth, his ninth of the season. 

LIpscomb then matched that with a solo shot from Trace Willhoite in the bottom of the eighth to push the lead back to 8-6.

Hicks finished 3 for 4 with 3 runs batted in, while Johnson and Leonard both finished with 2 hits. Shoultz went 6 1/3 innings out of the bullpen, registering a career-high eight strikeouts and threw a career-high 98 pitches. 

Houghton and Malik Williams had three hits each for the Bisons (26-18, 13-8).

The Bears return home to face North Alabama in a weekend ASUN series beginning at 3 p.m. Friday at Bear Stadium.