DELAND, Fla. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears, despite a loss in their regular-season finale on Saturday, earned a spot in next week's 2024 Atlantic Sun Conference Baseball Championship.

The Bears (23-29, 12-18), dropped a 10-8 decision to the Stetson Hatters on Saturday in a game that was called for weather after 6 1/2 innings. But with North Florida losing to Florida Gulf Coast on the same day, UCA jumped into the eight-team field for the first time since joining the league.

UCA will be part of Pool B, which includes the fifth through eighth teams in the field. That pool will play an NCAA Regional format to decide the one winner that advances to the semifinals. The top four teams, including tri-champions Stetson, Austin Peay and Florida Gulf Coast, will play a round-robin format, with the top three teams advancing.

The tournament begins on Tuesday at Stetson's Melching Field at Conrad Park in DeLand. The Bears will play their first matchup either Tuesday or Wednesday depending on their seeding, which is based on RPI. The Rating Percentage Index is a statistical system that ranks teams based on their strength of schedule and winning percentage. The field, with matchups and times, will be announced Sunday morning.

The Bears, who finished the regular season with two series against two of the tri-champions, got a pair of home runs Saturday from senior centerfielder Drew Sturgeon and freshman left fielder Zeb Allen. UCA totaled 10 hits, including a two-run triple by sophomore right fielder Kade Seldomridge.

UCA held a lead three different times against the Hatters, including an 8-5 advantage after four innings. But the Hatters scored the final five runs before the weather delay and eventual cancelation of the game.

Sturgeon went 2 for 4 with 3 runs batted in and 2 runs scored. Allen was 2 for 3 with an RBI and 2 runs, while Seldomridge was 2 for 4 with 2 RBI and a run scored.