UCA falls to No. 4 Arkansas after 10-run fifth inning surge

Central Arkansas came out swinging Tuesday night at Baum-Walker Stadium, but it couldn’t keep No. 4 Arkansas at bay for long.

What started as a promising mid-week road trip for the Bears turned into a 15-2 defeat as Arkansas put up 10 runs in a single inning to take control of the game for good.

The Bears entered the contest sitting at 13-12 on the season and 3-3 in conference play. The Razorbacks, meanwhile, carried a 19-7 record into the matchup.

UCA had a chance to make a statement against a top-five program, and for a few innings, the Bears made it look like that statement might just happen.

UCA struck first in the second inning when Zeb Allen reached on a walk, swiped second base, and then came around to score on a right-side RBI single off the bat of Jagger Schattle. Just like that, the Bears were up 1-0 heading into the third.

Allen wasn’t done. In the third inning, the junior outfielder connected on a solo home run to right center, pushing the UCA advantage to 2-0.

It was a sign the Bears had come to compete, and through three innings of play, they were doing exactly that.

Arkansas got on the board in the fourth with a solo home run by Zack Stewart, trimming the deficit to 2-1.

That’s when the game was still very much up for grabs — but not for long.

Fifth inning changes everything

The Razorbacks’ fifth inning is the story of this game, plain and simple.

Arkansas sent 13 batters to the plate and scored 10 runs on six hits, turning a one-run ballgame into a blowout in the blink of an eye.

TJ Pompey delivered a grand slam during that stretch, and Maika Niu added a two-run double that helped put the Bears in a deep hole they couldn’t climb out of. The score ballooned to 11-2 after that inning alone.

Arkansas didn’t stop there.

The Razorbacks tacked on four more runs in the sixth inning, with Carter Rutenbar crushing a three-run homer and Pompey adding his second home run of the evening — a solo shot.

The Bears finished with five hits and committed one error on the evening.

Pitching rundown

Jacob Pannell took the loss on the mound, dropping to 0-2 on the season. The senior right-hander worked four innings and struck out five batters, but he also issued four walks and surrendered five earned runs on four hits.

Pannell’s night ended before the damage from the fifth inning fully set in, but the Bears’ bullpen couldn’t stop the bleeding once it got started.

Jake Jones came in and faced four batters without recording a single out, allowing four runs on two hits and two walks.

Austin Jones followed and managed just one out, giving up two runs on two hits, including a home run. JB Williams closed out the game by working 1 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on two hits and a pair of home runs, while striking out two and not issuing a walk.

It was a rough night for the UCA pitching staff, which surrendered 15 runs on 10 hits and walked seven Arkansas batters. Parker Coil earned the win for Arkansas, improving to 1-0.

Offensive bright spots

Even in a lopsided loss, a few Bears gave the Conway faithful reasons to feel good.

Zeb Allen’s two-run night stood out the most — he scored twice, went deep, swiped a bag, and drew a walk in two plate appearances.

Allen’s ability to get on base and manufacture runs is the kind of production the Bears need more of moving forward.

Zane Denton was UCA’s most consistent hitter on the night, going 2-for-3 at the plate with a double mixed in.

Jagger Schattle went 1-for-3 with an RBI, and Mark Ross added a hit and a walk in two at-bats. As a team, the Bears put up five hits but weren’t able to do much after the fifth inning shifted the entire feel of the game.

What’s next for Bears

The Bears don’t have a lot of time to dwell on this one.

UCA is set to host Austin Peay at Bear Stadium on Friday, March 27, with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m.

It’ll be the opener of a three-game series, and the Bears will be looking to bounce back in front of their home crowd. Fans can tune in on The Bear 91.3 to follow the action.