Baseball
Bears stay alive with 7-4 win over Lipscomb in ASUN
UCA defeated Lipscomb 7-4 in the ASUN Baseball Championship, staying alive with standout pitching and timely hitting
DELAND, Fla. — Central Arkansas kept postseason dreams alive with a decisive 7-4 victory over the Lipscomb Bisons in the 2025 ASUN Baseball Championship elimination game at Melching Field.
With their backs against the wall, the Bears delivered a complete team performance, highlighted by strong pitching, timely hitting, and resilient defense.
Junior right-hander Gavin Alveti set the stage for the Bears, turning in a career-best outing when his team needed it most.
Alveti struck out a career-high seven batters over six innings, limiting the Bisons to just five hits, two runs, and a single walk. He kept Lipscomb’s offense off balance and allowed UCA to build an early lead.
After Alveti exited, junior Hunter Alexander took the ball and delivered 2.1 innings of high-pressure relief. Alexander, who transitioned from closer last season to starter this year, returned to the bullpen and notched his 10th career save.
“I just wanted to do my job and give us a chance to win,” Alexander said after the game. “We’ve worked hard all year for moments like this.”
He worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh and finished with three strikeouts, surrendering only one hit and slamming the door in the ninth.
The Bears wasted little time getting on the board. Freshman Nate Negre sparked a three-run rally in the second inning with a single and a stolen base.
Senior Preston Curtis followed with a base hit, and after a walk to Sam Reynolds loaded the bases, Negre scored on a wild pitch.
Freshman Noah Goodshield then broke the game open with a two-run double to left-center, giving UCA an early 3-0 advantage.
After Lipscomb trimmed the deficit in the fourth, UCA responded in the sixth. Jagger Schattle led off with a walk, and Reynolds added a single.
Both advanced on a wild pitch before Carter Alexander drove in a run with a single. Senior Tanner Leonard’s sacrifice fly brought home another, extending the lead to 5-1.
Goodshield continued his big night with an RBI single in the seventh, and Schattle’s pop-up in the eighth fell in shallow left, allowing Leonard to score and pad the lead at 7-4.
“Everyone contributed tonight,” Goodshield said. “It feels great to help the team, but we know there’s more work to do.”
Negre finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored, while Goodshield went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two doubles. Curtis also contributed a 2-for-4 effort with a run scored.
“We talk about playing for each other and staying together through adversity,” UCA coach Nick Harlan said later. “Tonight, our guys showed what it means to be a team. Gavin and Hunter were outstanding, and our young guys stepped up in big spots. We’re excited to keep playing and see what we can do the rest of the week.”
With the win, Central Arkansas advances to face the loser of Thursday’s Stetson-Florida Gulf Coast matchup on Friday at 1 p.m., hoping to continue their run in the double-elimination tournament. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
