Baseball
UCA can’t catch up after Bellarmine scored early to drop series
Bears off for final exams until Friday when they travel to face Eastern Kentucky on road in ASUN game
CONWAY, Ark. — Bellarmine scored five runs in the first two innings to salvage the final game of their ASUN series with UCA on Sunday with a 6-2 victory at Bear Stadium.
The Bears won the series 2-1 with victories on Friday and Saturday, and took the season series 4-2.
The Knights (11-33, 7-14) got a two-run home run in the first inning for their first lead of the weekend, then added three more runs in the second for a 5-0 lead.
UCA (17-25, 10-11) scored its two runs in the fourth inning when Zeb Allen opened with a single to right center and Preston Curtis followed with a bunt single.
Both runners advanced on a ground out and freshman catcher Carter Alexander hit a sacrifice fly to score Allen. Carter entered in the second inning after an injury to starting catcher Casey Shipley.
Blaine French doubled down the right-field line to score Curtis and get the Bears within 5-2.
The Knights added an insurance run in the top of the ninth on a solo home run by Seth Sweet-Chick.
UCA junior right hander Gavin Alveti had an outstanding relief effort, entering in the second inning and going 6.1 innings, allowing just 4 hits and 1 run, and recording 16 ground-ball outs in his longest outing of the season.
Senior second baseman Tanner Leonard finished 3 for 4 with a double for the Bears, while Nathan Negre and Allen had two hits each.
The Bears are off for final exams until Friday when they travel to Richmond, Ky., to take on the Eastern Kentucky Colonels in ASUN action.
Game times are 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 1 p.m. Sunday.
Information from UCA Sports is included in this story.
