CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears overcame a 6-0 first-inning deficit with an improbable comeback Sunday afternoon and romped to a 22-10 victory over the Illinois State Redbirds at Bear Stadium.

The Bears won the series 2-1 with an offensive explosion, getting five home runs, including a grand slam by senior right fielder Kolby Johnson. All nine starters had at least one hit for the Bears and all nine scored at least one run as UCA recorded 15 hits. Johnson, a right fielder from Pearland, Texas, accounted for five runs batted in and also threw out an ISU runner at the plate to end the second inning.

Junior third baseman A.J. Mendolia hit a pair of home runs, his first two of the season, and finished with four RBI, while graduate designated hitter Evan Hafley hit his third of the season and sophomore second baseman Tanner Leonard had his first.

After the Redbirds (5-6) scored six times in the first inning after four consecutive walks to start the game, UCA answered in a big way with an eight-run second inning. The Bears used six hits, including Mendolia's two-run shot to left and Johnson's grand slam over the left-field wall, to take a lead they would never lose. The 22 runs was the most scored by the Bears since they had 27 against Mississippi Valley on March 7, 2018.

ISU added a single run in the fourth but the Bears got one more in the bottom of the inning, then had back-to-back four-run frames in the fifth and sixth innings. UCA outscored ISU 17-1 from the second through sixth innings. The Bears added five more in the eighth inning with the help of just one base hit as the ISU bullpen struggled. The Redbirds used nine pitchers in the game, with all but two allowing at least one run.

The five home runs for the Bears tied for the second most in a single game in school history. UCA totaled seven extra-base hits, with Leonard adding a double and Dylan Cyr a triple. Cyr and Angus both had stolen bases, giving the Bears 11 in the three-game series. The Bears also drew eight walks and were hit five times.
 

UCA freshmen Coleman MacRae and Charlie Christenson combined to limit the Redbirds to six runs after starter Noah Argenta exited in the first inning. MacRae was first up and got the victory, going 3.2 innings and allowing six hits and three runs while striking out three. Christensen tossed the final 5.1 innings, striking out five and allowing 8 hits and 3 runs for his first career save.

Mendolia finished 3 for 6, while Leonard, Connor Flagg, Drew Sturgeon and Mason King had two hits apiece. Sturgeon scored four times, with Flagg, Leonard and Jack Angus crossing the plate three times each. Johnson's home run was his second dramatic blast of the weekend after he won Saturday's opening game with a walk-off shot in the ninth inning.

UCA plays at Little Rock at 3 p.m. Tuesday and hosts Missouri State at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Bear Stadium.