CONWAY, Ark. _ The Jacksonville Dolphins held off the University of Central Arkansas Bears 6-5 in their ASUN series opener on Thursday night at Bear Stadium.

The Bears (11-14, 3-4) came back from a 4-0 deficit with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, then took a 5-4 lead with a three-run seventh inning. But the first-place Dolphins (12-13, 6-1) scored once each in the eighth and ninth innings, then held off the Bears in the bottom of the ninth.

UCA put two runners on in the ninth on walks to Kade Seldomridge and Bryce Cermenelli by Jacksonville closer Isaac Williams. A wild pitch moved the tying and go-ahead runners to second and third but Williams induced a ground ball to shortstop to get the final out. 

Jacksonville out-hit UCA 11-7, including three home runs in its four-run fourth inning against UCA starter Jesse Barker. Zeb Allen's RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the inning got UCA on the board. In the fifth, Mason King walked, went to second on a failed pickoff attempt and scored on A.J. Mendolia's ground out to close it to 4-2.

The Bears used three base hits to score three in the seventh. Catcher Casey Shipley had a double down the left-field line, Seldomridge had a base hit and Shipley scored on a a wild pitch. Later in the inning, Cermenelli doubled down the right-field line to bring in Mendolia and Mason King for a 5-4 lead.

Shipley and Seldomridge had two hits each, while Cermenelli had two RBI. Hunter Alexander (3-2) took the loss, allowing the sixth and final run in the ninth inning. 

Game 2 of the series is set for 4 p.m. Friday.