CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears found a way in the bottom of the ninth inning Friday, coming from behind to down Eastern Kentucky 8-7 in the ASUN Conference opener for both teams at Bear Stadium.
The Bears (8-10, 1-0), who led the entire game, allowed six runs in the top of the ninth, but then redeemed themselves with four in the bottom of the frame to literally walk it off with a bases-loaded walk by
Mason King. Sophomore outfielder
Kade Seldomridge started the rally with a two-run home run to right field to close the deficit to 7-6 with one out.
The home run was the only UCA hit in the inning as EKU (2-17, 0-1) went through three pitchers in the inning _ six for the game _ and all had control issues. EKU walked two Bears and hit three in the ninth. Designated hitter
Jagger Schattle tied the game with a bases-loaded walk that scored
A.J. Mendolia. Reliever Garrett Langrell then came on and, with a full count and two outs, walked King on an inside pitch to score pinch runner
Preston Curtis with the game-winning run.
The late heroics overshadowed the performance of UCA starter
Jesse Barker, a graduate from Benton, Ark. Barker struck out a career-high 14 batters and allowed just 4 hits and 1 earned run with no walks in 8.0 innings. Sophomore
Hunter Alexander pitched the ninth and picked up the victory, despite allowing five runs.
UCA got on the board in the first with three runs off EKU starter Nathan Lawson.
Bryce Cermenelli doubled to right field and scored on
Drew Sturgeon's single to right. King then doubled down the left-field line to make it 3-0. The Bears added another run in the third on an RBI double by Sturgeon that brought
Casey Shipley in for a 4-0 advantage.
EKU got a run in the eighth on a pair of hits before Barker got out of it with his 14th strikeout to end the inning. The Colonels then took their first and only lead with six runs in the top of the ninth on four hits and a UCA error. The big blow was a three-run triple by centerfielder Ron Franklin.
For the Bears, Sturgeon was 2 for 3 with 2 RBI while King was 1 for 4 with 3 RBI. EKU pitchers hit four batters, including Schattle three times.Â
Game 2 of the series is set for 4 p.m. Saturday.
