The University of Central Arkansas baseball team took on the University of Arkansas at Little Rock on Friday, March 6. The teams faced off in a double header, with games scheduled for 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 pm.

The Bears emerged victorious from the afternoon game, winning 7-1, but lost their momentum going into the last game of the night, losing 2-8.

The 2:00 p.m. game was opened by junior pitcher Denver Hamilton, who pitched the first five innings and only gave up one run.

The Trojans took an early lead in the first game, scoring a run in the first inning. This was the only run that the Trojans scored off of Hamilton.

Coach Nick Harlan said, “I thought Denver on the mound, starter in game one, did a nice job. I didn’t think that he had his best stuff, but he’s really competitive and he found a way to minimize situations.”

The Bears finally got their bats going in the fourth inning when junior infielder Parker Gwyn hit a double. Junior outfielder Zeb Allen then singled, which advanced Gwyn to third. The two baserunners made it home when redshirt sophomore infielder Jack Runsick hit a sacrifice bunt.

During the fifth inning graduate student infielder and pitcher Jagger Schattle hit a solo home run. Later in the inning Gwyn hit a home run that also brought freshman outfielder Jayden Sloan home, bringing the score to 5-1.

In the sixth inning freshman infielder Landon Carter doubled and was brought home when Schattle hit a double.

During the eighth inning junior catcher and infielder Zach Adams doubled, stole third on a wild pitch and came home on a balk.

Redshirt junior pitcher Braxton Haywood and redshirt sophomore pitcher Jake Jones also appeared on the mound during this game, and both were able to keep the Trojans at one run scored.

The final score of the 2:00 p.m. game was 7-1.

The 6:00 p.m. game went very differently for the Bears.

UALR took charge of the game during the second when it scored three runs off of errors.

Harlan said, “[To make so many mistakes] is uncharacteristic of us. We typically play clean baseball.”

In the bottom of the third inning, the Bears were not able to get on base at all, with only three batters stepping up to the plate.

While the Bears still remained unable to score, the Trojans extended their margin of victory to 8-0 in the top of the seventh by scoring three runs off of wild pitching and poor defense on the Bears’ behalf.

The Bears were finally able to obtain some points on the board in the bottom of the seventh.

Senior infielder Keon Moseni was hit by a pitch; he was able to take first base.

Sloan hit a home run, giving the Bears two runs on the board.

The final score of the game was 2-8.

Redshirt freshman Mark Ross, who played right field this weekend, said, “I feel like if we come out how we did the first game, we’ll be just fine [going forward in the season], because we came out with a purpose and we got it done … I think as for the team as a whole, just to never give up, because it is baseball and it’s a game of failure, so just stay in there, and eventually the things will get done.”

The Bears’ next game is at home against Eastern Kentucky University on Friday, March 13 at 6:00 p.m.

All UCA athletic events can be streamed on ESPN+.