CONWAY, Ark. -- The University of North Alabama baseball team held a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, allowed six runs to Central Arkansas, then rallied to tie the game in the top of the ninth, only to fall 7-6 to the Bears.
UNA is now 5-12 overall and 0-2 in ASUN Conference play.
UNA junior left-handed pitcher
Jacob James of Loretto, Tenn., pitched seven shutout innings before leaving the game with two runners on base in the eighth. Reliever Cade Barnett as then roughed up for four more runs as UCA took a 6-3 lead.
In the top of the ninth,
Jackson Ferrigno singled and
Dominick McIntyre and
Levi Jensen walked to load the vases with one out. Ethan walked walked to force in a run and Jonthan Lane then singled with two outs to tie the game at 6-6.
In the bottom of the ninth, UCA got a leadoff home run from Connor Flagg to take the 7-6 win.
UNA got on the board in the second inning when
Kyle Machado doubled and later scored when
Jackson Ferrigno reached on a fielder's choice.
In the third, UNA made it 2-0 as Jensen walked, went to second on an infield single by Walker and advanced to third on a
Gehrig Frei sacrifice bunt. Jensen scored on an RBI-ground out by
Jonathan Lane.
North Alabama pushed its lead to 3-0 in the sixth inning on a solo home run by Machado.
James pitched seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits with six walks and 12 strikeouts. Barnett (0-1) took the loss. He allowed five runs on four hits with two walks.
The Lions and Bears play the final game of the series on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
