Baseball
Big double play in ninth gives Bears win over Arkansas State
UCA picks up fourth straight win downing in-state rival in Jonesboro with huge defensive play in final inning
JONESBORO, Ark. — Central Arkansas turned a big double play in the ninth inning Tuesday to seal a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the Arkansas State Red Wolves at Tomlinson Stadium.
The victory, UCA’s fourth straight, avenged a loss to ASU last Wednesday in Conway.
The Red Wolves (13-15) had the bases loaded with one out in the ninth, trailing by one. But UCA’s closer-turned-starter Hunter Alexander induced a ground ball to shortstop Nathan Negre, who started a double play to Tanner Leonard at second and Jagger Schattle at first.
The second out at first base was reviewed and confirmed, giving the Bears the victory.
The Bears (10-17) went up 2-0 in the top of the third when Schattle led off with a double to the right-field corner and center fielder Sam Reynolds followed with an RBI double the other way for a 1-0 lead.
Third baseman Keon Moseni then singled to left center to bring home Reynolds.
The Red Wolves got one back in the bottom of the inning with a base hit, a walk, a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly.
UCA answered that with a Casey Shipley RBI double that scored second baseman Bryce Cermenelli, who reached on a fielding error.
ASU cut it to 3-2 in the seventh before the Bears threatened to blow it open in the eighth, but ultimately left the bases loaded. Senior right hander Jackson Schwank came on and pitched a perfect bottom of the eighth.
UCA’s Tanner Leonard got a double down the right-field line for the Bears in the top of the ninth but they could not add to their lead.
Alexander, who has been UCA’s Friday starter the past two weekends, came on for the ninth. A one-out infield single followed by a double put two runners on for ASU.
UCA then intentionally walked the bases loaded before ASU shortstop Patrick Engskov hit into the double play.
Left fielder Zeb Allen and Shipley had two hits apiece for the Bears.
Senior right hander Perry Titlow got the victory, pitching four middle relief innings, allowing just one run and striking out three.
Alexander picked up his first save of the year after finishing the 2024 season with eight.
UCA returns to ASUN action this weekend at home, hosting the Lipscomb Bisons.
Information from UCA Sports is included in this story.
