RICHMOND, Ky. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears got a grand slam from senior Preston Curtis that carried them to an 8-2 victory over the Eastern Kentucky Colonels on Saturday night in Game 2 of their ASUN series at Earle Combs Stadium,

Curtis, an outfielder from Flower Mound, Texas, accounted for UCA's first five runs. His third-inning grand slam scored Tanner Leonard, Zeb Allen and Nate Negre and gave the Bears a 4-1 lead. The Colonels had a first-inning grand slam on Friday in the series-opening win.

Curtis came through again in the fourth inning with an RBI single to left center. Allen scored on the base hit and Negre also came in on an error by EKU's center fielder. After the Colonels got one run in the bottom of the fourth, UCA answered with two more in the fifth.

UCA's Luke Carner and Sam Reynolds were both hit by a pitch and new EKU pitcher Cade Schneider walked Carter Alexander to load the bases. Keon Moseni then drew another walk to score Carner, and after another pitching change, Leonard's sacrifice fly to center made it an 8-2 lead. 

In all, the Bears took advantage of 17 free bases, drawing 12 walks and getting hit by a pitch five times. UCA finished with just four hits, including a 2-for-4 performance with 5 RBIs from Curtis.

UCA starter Charlie Christensen (4-4) went five innings, allowing four hits and one earned run with four strikeouts. Freshman Aden Velasquez entered with the bases loaded in the sixth and got out of that jam and pitched the remainder of the game, holding the Colonels scoreless with just one hit for his second save of the season.

Sunday's series finale is set for noon (CST).