JACKSONVILLE, Ala. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears nearly came all the way back from an 8-3 deficit Sunday but ended up falling 8-7 to the Jacksonville Gamecocks at Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.

The Bears (23-26) trailed 8-3 after five innings and then scored four unasnwered runs over the final three innings to make it a game. The Bears, who dropped to 17-10 in ASUN West Division play, scored three times in the seventh inning, and once in the eighth, an inning that ended in a costly base-running error.

UCA then got a two-out base hit from Cade White, the first of his career, in the ninth but could ot tie the game. On the day, the Bears stranded 12 baserunners after collecting 11 hits, walking six times and getting hit five times.

The Bears went ahead 1-0 in the first inning on Drew Pollum's RBI single. The Gamecocks (23-27, 16-11) answered quickly with a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning. UCA re-took the lead in the second when Connor Emmet had a two-run single.

JSU tied it back up at 3-3 with a triple and single in the third. It stayed that way until the fifth when the Gamecocks hit two more home runs and added five runs on five hits.

UCA chipped away with three runs in the seventh when pinch hitter Dylan Cyr hit a two-run double down the right-field line and catcher Noah Argenta drew a bases-loaded walk. The Bears got one more in the eighth with an RBI single by Drew Sturgeon, but the rally ended with a Bear getting picked off third base for the final out.

Sturgeon had three hits and Pollum two for the Bears. UCA starter Andrew Shoultz took the loss. Reliever Trent Gregson struck out six over the final 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit.

UCA, which lost just its second conference series of the year, remains in a tie with Lipscomb for second place in the ASUN West, with one final series at home against West leader Eastern Kentucky (18-9). UCA and EKU will meet beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday at Bear Stadium.