DELAND, Fla. — Central Arkansas saw the 2025 season come to a close on Friday afternoon, falling to the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles 12-5 in the ASUN Baseball Championship at Melching Field in DeLand, Fla.

Despite a promising start and early four-run lead, the Bears couldn’t hold off a relentless FGCU offense and were eliminated from the tournament.

Promising Start Fades

UCA, seeded fourth in the ASUN Gold Division, wasted no time getting on the board.

Keon Moseni and Tanner Leonard opened the game with back-to-back singles, and consecutive walks to Zeb Allen and Nate Negre brought in the first run.

Jagger Schattle’s two-run single to right and a perfectly executed safety squeeze bunt by Noah Goodshield put the Bears ahead 4-0 before FGCU even came to bat.

However, the Eagles, third seed from the Graphite Division, quickly responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning. By the third, FGCU had tied the game at 4-4.

The turning point came in the fourth inning, when the Eagles erupted for seven runs on seven hits, surging ahead 11-4 and taking control of the contest.

Pitching Depth Tested

UCA’s pitching staff, already stretched thin by injuries, struggled to contain FGCU’s bats. Freshman starter Aden Velasquez and five relievers combined to allow 17 hits. Velasquez and junior Hunter Alexander each recorded a pair of strikeouts, but the Eagles’ offense proved too much. FGCU’s Preston Rogers and Jordan Vera, coming out of the bullpen, held the Bears to just one run and six hits over the final eight innings, striking out six and issuing no walks.

Offensive Highlights and Senior Farewell

Despite the loss, several Bears delivered notable performances. Fifth-year senior Tanner Leonard capped his UCA career with a 3-for-5 day and a run scored. Junior transfer Keon Moseni also went 3-for-5, scoring twice. Schattle and freshman shortstop Negre each drove in two runs, while Goodshield added an RBI on his first-inning bunt.

“I was really proud of the guys,” Bears coach Nick Harlan said later. “They left it all out there today. With all the injuries and issues we’ve had this year, they could have easily shut it down a while ago but they didn’t.

“We came down here and won a big game on Wednesday and led this one early. We should be proud of our effort this week, and this season. The guys we had available, they definitely put it all out there.”

Tournament Recap: A Season of Grit

The Bears’ journey in the ASUN Championship began with a tough 10-2 loss to Stetson, despite taking an early 2-0 lead.

Defensive miscues and a strong Hatters lineup proved costly, pushing UCA into an elimination game against Lipscomb.

The Bears responded with a resilient win over Lipscomb, extending their tournament run and setting up the showdown with FGCU.

Throughout the season, UCA battled adversity, including a series of injuries that tested the team’s depth.

The Bears finished the year with notable wins and individual accolades, including freshman shortstop Nate Negre’s selection to the ASUN All-Freshman team and sophomore Zeb Allen’s repeat as a third-team All-ASUN honoree.

Looking Ahead

While the 2025 campaign ends in disappointment, the Bears’ ability to compete and rally in the face of adversity bodes well for the future.

With a core of talented underclassmen and the experience gained from postseason play, UCA baseball looks poised to build on this year’s foundation.

As the ASUN Championship continues, FGCU advances to face Jacksonville in the next elimination game, while Austin Peay and Stetson battle in the winner’s bracket.

For the Bears, the offseason brings reflection and preparation for another run at the title in 2026.

DELAND, Fla. — Central Arkansas kept postseason dreams alive with a decisive 7-4 victory over the Lipscomb Bisons in the 2025 ASUN Baseball Championship elimination game at Melching Field.

With their backs against the wall, the Bears delivered a complete team performance, highlighted by strong pitching, timely hitting, and resilient defense.

Junior right-hander Gavin Alveti set the stage for the Bears, turning in a career-best outing when his team needed it most.

Alveti struck out a career-high seven batters over six innings, limiting the Bisons to just five hits, two runs, and a single walk. He kept Lipscomb’s offense off balance and allowed UCA to build an early lead.

After Alveti exited, junior Hunter Alexander took the ball and delivered 2.1 innings of high-pressure relief. Alexander, who transitioned from closer last season to starter this year, returned to the bullpen and notched his 10th career save.

“I just wanted to do my job and give us a chance to win,” Alexander said after the game. “We’ve worked hard all year for moments like this.”

He worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh and finished with three strikeouts, surrendering only one hit and slamming the door in the ninth.

The Bears wasted little time getting on the board. Freshman Nate Negre sparked a three-run rally in the second inning with a single and a stolen base.

Senior Preston Curtis followed with a base hit, and after a walk to Sam Reynolds loaded the bases, Negre scored on a wild pitch.

Freshman Noah Goodshield then broke the game open with a two-run double to left-center, giving UCA an early 3-0 advantage.

After Lipscomb trimmed the deficit in the fourth, UCA responded in the sixth. Jagger Schattle led off with a walk, and Reynolds added a single.

Both advanced on a wild pitch before Carter Alexander drove in a run with a single. Senior Tanner Leonard’s sacrifice fly brought home another, extending the lead to 5-1.

Goodshield continued his big night with an RBI single in the seventh, and Schattle’s pop-up in the eighth fell in shallow left, allowing Leonard to score and pad the lead at 7-4.

“Everyone contributed tonight,” Goodshield said. “It feels great to help the team, but we know there’s more work to do.”

Negre finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored, while Goodshield went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two doubles. Curtis also contributed a 2-for-4 effort with a run scored.

“We talk about playing for each other and staying together through adversity,” UCA coach Nick Harlan said later. “Tonight, our guys showed what it means to be a team. Gavin and Hunter were outstanding, and our young guys stepped up in big spots. We’re excited to keep playing and see what we can do the rest of the week.”

With the win, Central Arkansas advances to face the loser of Thursday’s Stetson-Florida Gulf Coast matchup on Friday at 1 p.m., hoping to continue their run in the double-elimination tournament. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.

DELAND, Fla. — Central Arkansas opened the 2025 ASUN Baseball Championship with high hopes, jumping out to an early lead against the top-seeded Stetson Hatters.

That didn’t last very long.

The Bears were ultimately overpowered by the defending champions, falling 10-2 in the tournament opener at Stetson’s Melching Field.

Facing Stetson’s ace Jonathan Gonzalez, the ASUN Pitcher of the Year, the Bears wasted no time making their mark.

Senior Tanner Leonard singled with one out in the top of the first inning and promptly stole second.

After sophomore Zeb Allen was hit by a pitch, freshman shortstop Nate Negre—fresh off his ASUN All-Freshman team selection—delivered a clutch two-run double to the right-center gap, giving UCA a 2-0 lead.

Negre’s performance continued his breakout season, finishing the game 2-for-4 with both of the Bears’ RBIs.

Allen, a third-team All-ASUN honoree for the second consecutive year, contributed two hits and a run scored, highlighting the young talent on UCA’s roster.

The Bears’ early momentum was short-lived.

In the third inning, Stetson capitalized on a series of UCA defensive errors—four in total throughout the game—combined with five Hatters hits to surge ahead 6-2.

The Bears’ defense struggled to contain the Hatters’ aggressive offense, and the home team never looked back.

“We got off to a great start and put some pressure on their ace, but you can’t give a team like Stetson extra chances. The errors hurt us, and they made us pay.”

Despite the mounting deficit, the Bears flashed defensive resilience.

In the fourth inning, senior right fielder Preston Curtis threw a perfect one-hop strike to the plate, where freshman catcher Carter Alexander tagged out Stetson’s Salvadore Alvarez to end the inning.

The following frame, freshman third baseman Noah Goodshield made a key play to cut down a runner at home, and senior reliever Perry Titlow struck out two to escape further damage.

Stetson, now 20-8 at home, continued to apply pressure. Right fielder Jordan Taylor launched a solo home run in the seventh, and two more runs scored on wild pitches, sealing the 10-2 victory.

The Hatters out-hit the Bears 12-8 and played error-free baseball, a testament to their status as defending champions and tournament favorites.

UCA starter Charlie Christensen, who entered the game with a team-leading 72 strikeouts, took the loss despite allowing just six hits and two earned runs.

The Bears’ inability to limit mistakes proved costly against a Stetson lineup that has had UCA’s number in recent years—the Hatters are now 7-0 all-time against the Bears.

With the loss, the Bears (19-34) move into an elimination matchup against the Lipscomb Bisons at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

This will be the seventh meeting between the two teams this season, with both sides eager to extend their tournament run. Lipscomb dropped a close 7-6 contest to Florida Gulf Coast in their opener, setting the stage for a high-stakes rematch.

Coach Nick Harlan remained optimistic about his team’s chances.

“We’ve battled adversity all year, and this group knows how to respond. We’ll regroup and be ready for Lipscomb,” Bears coach Nick Harlan said.”

The ASUN tournament’s double-elimination format means the Bears must win to keep their season alive. Last year, UCA advanced to the semifinals in their first ASUN tournament appearance, showing the program’s potential to compete at a high level.

Key players:

• Nate Negre (freshman shortstop): 2-for-4, 2 RBIs, ASUN All-Freshman team
• Zeb Allen (sophomore left fielder): 2-for-3, run scored, third-team All-ASUN
• Charlie Christensen (junior right-hander): 6 hits, 2 earned runs allowed

Stetson advances to face Florida Gulf Coast in the winner’s bracket, while UCA faces a must-win scenario against Lipscomb.