UCA’s pitching can’t hold back the Lions in 16–9 series finale loss

FLORENCE, Ala. — Central Arkansas came out swinging Saturday at Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium, but North Alabama’s offense had other ideas.

The Lions handed UCA a 16–9 defeat in the ASUN series finale, leaving the Bears at 15-17 overall and 5-7 in conference play. North Alabama improved to 14-17 on the season and 7-5 in the ASUN with the victory.

UCA didn’t go down without a fight.

The Bears put up 15 hits — the same total as the Lions — including two home runs and four doubles. The problem wasn’t the offense. It was the inability to keep North Alabama’s hitters off the bases when it mattered most.

The Bears came out of the gate with real energy in the first inning. Zeb Allen started things off with a double to right center and Nathan Negre followed with a single that moved Allen to third.

Jagger Schattle drew a walk, and Jack Runsick reached on a fielder’s choice, allowing Allen to score when a muffed throw gave UCA a gift.

Freshman Jayden Sloan then lined a single up the middle to drive in two more runs. Just like that, the Bears had a 3–2 edge after one inning.

UCA kept its foot on the gas in the second. Negre singled again, and Schattle doubled to put two runners in scoring position.

Runsick came through with an RBI single, and Schattle scored on a wild pitch. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Landon Carter added another run.

When the dust settled on the second inning, the Bears were up 6–4 and looking like a team in control.

But North Alabama wouldn’t go away. The Lions tied it back up and eventually flipped the lead, and UCA couldn’t fully recover despite continued efforts at the plate.

Schattle, Carter provide power, but not enough

In the fourth inning, Schattle and Carter each connected for solo home runs, giving the Bears a brief spark.

Those long balls put UCA back in front at 8–6, but North Alabama responded with a three-run inning to take a 9–8 lead through four. The momentum had shifted for good.

The Bears added one more run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Allen that scored Mark Ross, pulling UCA back to within a run at 9–9.

North Alabama answered with a four-run burst in the bottom of the fifth, however, pushing the lead to 13–9. From that point forward, the Bears couldn’t get back on the board.

The eighth inning put it firmly out of reach. North Alabama’s Dylan Coleman crushed a three-run homer that extended the Lions’ lead to 16–9.

UCA couldn’t answer in the final frames, and that was that.

Schattle finished with two hits, a home run, and three runs scored. Allen went 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI.

Carter drove in two on his home run and a sacrifice fly. Sloan finished with two hits and two RBIs, while Runsick added two hits and an RBI as well.

Pitching staff struggles throughout afternoon

The Bears’ pitching staff had a rough afternoon from the opening inning. Caide White got the start and allowed six runs, five earned, over 2⅔ innings, walking three and striking out two.

He couldn’t make it out of the third inning and UCA’s bullpen was called on early.

Jacob Pannell came in next and struggled in relief, surrendering three earned runs on one hit and three walks in just a single inning of work. It was a difficult afternoon for the senior right-hander.

The lone bright spot on the mound was junior right-hander Austin Jones, who delivered two scoreless innings of relief.

Jones struck out four batters while allowing just one walk and zero hits.

His performance was exactly what the Bears needed, but by the time he took the ball, North Alabama had already built too large a cushion for UCA to realistically overcome.

JB Williams was tagged with the loss, dropping to 1-4 on the season. North Alabama’s Gavin Oswald earned the win, improving to 3-1.

Bears return home to face UAPB

UCA will look to bounce back when it returns to Conway for a midweek matchup. The Bears’ll host UAPB on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Bear Stadium.

It’ll be a chance for UCA to reset before heading back into ASUN conference play.

The Bears put together a solid offensive showing against the Lions — 15 hits across nine innings is no small thing — but walks and big innings on the mound proved too costly to overcome.

North Alabama drew 12 walks from UCA pitchers compared to just three drawn by the Bears, and that gap in free baserunners played a significant role in the final margin.

UCA’ll need to tighten things up on the mound if the Bears hope to make a push in the second half of the conference schedule.