BATON ROUGE, La. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears hung with the No. 2 team in the nation Saturday afternoon but dropped a 2-0 decision to the LSU Tigers at Alex Box Stadium.

They came back in the nightcap against VMI and knocked off the Keydets 4-3 in 11 innings to avenge Friday's loss.

Against the Tigers, the Bears' trio of pitchers _ Coleman MacRae, Payton Windham and Gavin Alveti _ held the defending NCAA national champions to just six hits on the day. MacRae, a sophomore from Rogers, Ark., and Windham, a junior from Maud, Texas, struck out three batters apiece.

LSU (2-0) picked up single runs in the fourth and eighth innings.

The Bears managed five hits off five different LSU pitchers, but also struck out 16 times and left nine runners on base. Senior first baseman A.J. Mendolia went 2 for 3 with a walk.

Against VMI, graduate Mason Griffin tossed 5.1 innings of scoreless relief and sophomore Hunter Alexander came on in the 11th and struck out a pair of Keydets to give the Bears their first win. Starter Charlie Christensen was solid as well, striking out a career-high eight batters in 4.0 innings.

Tied 3-3 in the top of the 11th, Casey Shipley singled to right and Drew Sturgeon followed with a base hit through the left side. Junior Jagger Schattle flied to right, with Shipley advancing to third. Freshman Zeb Allen's two-out RBI single brought home the game winner and Alexander did the rest.

Mendolia was 2 for 3 with a pair of walks and a run scored. Sturgeon and Schattle were both 2 for 5 as UCA finished with nine hits.

The Bears will have Sunday off before facing LSU again at 2 p.m. Monday.