DELAND, Fla. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears were held to just three hits on Thursday night and dropped their ASUN series opener 3-1 to the Stetson Hatters at Melching Field.

The Bears (23-27, 12-16) scored first in the fifth inning but the Hatters (35-19, 18-10) scored a single run in the fifth and two more in the sixth to pull out the victory. The Hatters, who have won five of their last six games and sit in second place in the ASUN standings.

UCA graduate righthander Jesse Barker moved into second place on the career strikeout list with eight in the game and 278 for his career. He is now trailing only Tyler Gray, who had 284 career strikeouts. 

In the fifth, UCA got a double to right center by shortstop Mason King and he scored on second baseman Tanner Leonard's RBI single up the middle. The Bears would not get another hit in the game against a combination of five Hatter pitchers.The Bears did walk six times but left seven runners on base.

Barker threw a complete game with 127 pitches. Stetson's Ty Van Dyke, the second pitcher, got the victory, going 1 1/3 hitless innings.

Game 2 of the series is set for 5:30 p.m. (CST) on Friday.