CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears did Saturday what not many teams have done this season, winning a slugfest against the first-place Austin Peay Governors.

UCA celebrated Senior Day with a hard-fought 14-12 victory over the Governors to even their ASUN series at 1-1. They did it by scoring a combined six runs in the seventh and eighth innings, then holding off the high-powered Governors in the ninth with a surprise appearance from senior starter Jesse Barker.

Barker was UCA's Friday starter in the series opener, pitching into the seventh inning and throwing 105 pitches. He came back on Saturday in the ninth and allowed two hits and a sacrifice fly before striking out two of the ASUN's most dangerous hitters _ Lyle Miller-Green and Brody Szako who have a combined 42 home runs and 136 RBI _ to earn his third career save and first since the 2022 season.

The Bears' offense matched the Governors, collecting 14 hits against seven different APSU pitchers, including three from junior third baseman Bryce Cermenelli, who had four runs batted in. UCA jumped all over APSU starting pitcher Josh Howitt and chased him in the first inning, sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring five runs. 

The Bears kept it up with one run in the second and two more in the third. The Governors, who lead the nation in almost every offensive category, scored nine consecutive runs over the next four innings to grab an 11-8 lead. But the Bears answered with three runs on three hits in the seventh to tie it at 11-11. Cermenelli had a two-run single and Kade Seldomridge had an RBI fielder's choice.

In the eighth, UCA went back in front for good with an A.J. Mendolia sacrifice fly, a Cermenelli double and a run by Tanner Leonard on a wild pitch. The Bears had three hits in the inning, by Mason King, Leonard and Cermenelli, while Leonard and Drew Sturgeon also had stolen bases in the frame.

UCA sophomore Hunter Alexander (4-3) got the victory with two innings of relief work before giving way to Barker for the ninth. Barker's two strikeouts gives him a league-best 102 for the season, and 270 for his career.

Sturgeon, a senior center fielder from Farmington, Ark., drew four walks and scored three times. Mendolia, a senior first baseman, had a pair of RBI, as did Seldomridge. Freshman Zeb Allen had two hits and scored twice. Leonard, a junior second baseman, was 3 for 3 with an RBI and two runs scored.

The series finale is set for 1 p.m. Sunday.