UCA falls to Arkansas State 20-10 in tough Jonesboro outing

JONESBORO, Ark. — Central Arkansas ran into trouble on the road Tuesday night, dropping a 20-10 decision to Arkansas State University at Tomlinson Stadium-Slayton Family Field.

The loss moved UCA to 22-19 on the season, while the Red Wolves improved to 25-15.

It wasn’t a lack of offense that hurt the Bears. They put up 10 runs and collected 11 hits on the night, including a home run.

A disastrous fourth inning changed everything and proved too much to overcome.

UCA came out swinging from the start. In the first inning, Jack Runsick connected on a two-run home run, bringing Jagger Schattle across the plate and putting the Bears on top 2-0 before Arkansas State had a chance to respond.

The Bears kept the pressure on in the third inning. Schattle came through with an RBI single, scoring Noah Goodshield. A fielding error then allowed both Schattle and Runsick to score, stretching UCA’s lead out to 5-3.

Through three innings, everything looked solid for the Bears. They’d built a multi-run cushion, their bats were producing, and the crowd at Tomlinson Stadium was watching a competitive ballgame. That changed quickly.

Fourth inning turns the game

Arkansas State sent 16 runs across the plate in the fourth inning, turning a two-run deficit into a 19-5 lead.

The Red Wolves capitalized on errors, hit batters, and timely hits to blow the game open in a single frame.

Kannon Nesslage faced the worst of it on the mound for UCA, surrendering 10 runs — 8 earned — on 7 hits while recording just one out.

Luke Lorence also couldn’t stop the bleeding, allowing 3 runs on 2 hits without retiring a batter. Nicholas French got just one out but hit 3 batters, though none of his 3 runs allowed were earned.

Starter JB Williams had given the Bears a workable start through three innings, allowing 3 runs on 3 hits with 1 strikeout and 3 walks.

Samuel Curtis provided the most stable relief outing of the night for UCA, going 2 2/3 innings, giving up 1 run on 3 hits while striking out 3 batters.

Bears kept fighting late

To their credit, the Bears didn’t quit after the fourth-inning setback. UCA scored two runs in the fifth when Zeb Allen crossed the plate on a Schattle groundout, followed by a Parker Gwyn single that brought home another runner, cutting the deficit to 19-7.

The Bears added three more in the sixth. Gwyn delivered a sacrifice fly, and Runsick followed with a two-RBI single to make it 19-10. Arkansas State added a final run in the seventh to set the 20-10 final.

Runsick finished as UCA’s offensive standout, going 3-for-4 with 2 runs scored, 4 RBIs, and the first-inning home run. Schattle went 2-for-3 with 2 runs and 2 RBIs. Keaton Laidley contributed 3 RBIs on 1 hit, and Allen went 2-for-4 with 2 runs scored and a stolen base.

Up next for the Bears

UCA doesn’t have much time to dwell on Tuesday’s result.

The Bears head home to host Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Wednesday at Bear Stadium, with first pitch set for 4 p.m.

The game can be streamed on ESPN+ and heard on The Bear 91.3.