CONWAY, Ark. — Central Arkansas dug a hole in the first inning and could never overcome it in a 7-2 loss to the Central Connecticut Blue Devils in Saturday at Bear Stadium.

The Blue Devils (1-1) got a pair of home runs in the top of the first, including a leadoff shot by Brady Short, to grab an early 3-0 lead. UCA would eventually score single runs in the fifth and seventh innings but it was not enough.

CCSU had 14 hits while UCA had nine, including two each by junior left fielder Blaine French, junior third baseman Bryce Cermenelli and senior designated hitter Preston Curtis.

In the fifth, sophomore center fielder Zeb Allen his his second home run of the season to right center. In the seventh, senior first baseman Jagger Schattle singled up the middle to score French. The Bears stranded 14 runners while the Blue Devils left 13 on base.

UCA starter Coleman MacRae took the loss, allowing 6 hits and 3 runs in 1 1/3 innings of work. Three of the Bears’ four relievers, Gavin Alveti, Aden Velasquez and Luke Lorence, allowed no runs in 7 1/3 innings.

Velasquez, a freshman from Cabot, struck out three and Lorence, a freshman from Little Rock Central, struck out a pair in the ninth.

The rubber game of the series is set for 1 p.m. Sunday at Bear Stadium.

Information from UCA Sports is included in this story.

CONWAY, Ark. — Central Arkansas got the go-ahead run in the eighth inning Friday night to grab a 4-3 victory over Central Connecticut in the series opener at Bear Stadium.

UCA (4-4) loaded the bases in the eighth with a Nathan Negre walk, a base hit by Bryce Cermenelli and an infield single to the pitcher by catcher Casey Shipley.

Designated hitter Owen Tracy followed with a base hit to left field, scoring Negre to make it 4-3.

UCA junior closer Hunter Alexander, who had entered in the seventh, did the rest with a pair of strikeouts and a ground ball out in the ninth to end it.

Alexander allowed just one hit over 2 2/3 innings for his first victory. UCA starter Charlie Christensen struck out seven and allowed one run in 6 innings of work.

The Bears to a 1-0 lead in the second when second baseman Keon Moseni’s base hit to center field scored Jagger Schattle. Schattle had a base hit, advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on a ground out.

CCSU, playing its season opener, tied it in the fourth with a solo home run by Aiden Redahan, but UCA put up two more in the bottom of the inning.

Cermenelli doubled down the left-field line and the Bears loaded the bases with a Shipley walk and a Blue Devils error. Cermenelli came in on the error and Shipley scored on a balk.

CCSU tied it again in the seventh with another home run, setting up the Bears for the win in the eighth.

Cermenelli finished 2 for 4, while Tracy and Moseni had RBI.

Game 2 of the series is set for 4 p.m. Saturday, with the series finale at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Information from UCA Sports is included in this story.

CONWAY, Ark. — Central Arkansas got a bases-loaded single up the middle by freshman Nathan Negree in the 10th inning to give the Bears a 10-9 victory over Eastern Michigan in the series finale on Monday at Bear Stadium.

The Bears (2-4) loaded the bases in the 10th when Blaine French led off with a hit by pitch and Zeb Allen walked.

Preston Curtis pinch ran for French senior Tanner Leonard followed with a bunt single to load the bases. Negre, an infielder from Aurora, Mo., snuck a base hit up the middle to win it.

UCA redshirt freshman righthander Jake Jones from Benton, Ark., tossed three scoreless innings to get the victory. Jones allowed just one hit and struck out four while walking none.

The Bears fell behind early as EMU scored three times in the first inning. UCA picked up two runs in the second with Jagger Schattle’s RBI ground out and Owen Tracy’s RBI double.

After the Eagles went up 4-2 with a run in the third, UCA exploded for six runs on five hits in the fourth inning, sending 10 batters to the plate.

Blaine French and Schattle had two-run singles and Zeb Allen had a two-run home run to right field in the frame.

The Eagles, who won the first two games of the series, chipped away with two runs in the fifth and three more in the seventh to grab a 9-8 lead.

UCA tied it at 9-9 in the eighth on Allen’s bunt single, where he eventually came around to score on a passed ball.

In the 10th, Jones set the Eagles down in order, setting up the walk-off rally.

Allen finished 3-for-5 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. Sam Reynolds had two hits and scored two runs, while Frenchwent 3 for 3 with 2 RBI. Schattle finished with three runs batted in.

The Bears will play at UAPB at 2 p.m. Tuesday before hosting a three-game series with Central Connecticut beginning at 6 p.m. Friday at Bear Stadium.

Information from UCA Sports is included in this story.