Box Score

CONWAY, Ark. – A 2-out single down the right field line brought home the winning run as Central Arkansas beat Eastern Kentucky University, 8-7, on Friday in the Atlantic Sun Conference series opener.
 
With one out in the top of the eighth inning, EKU's Mauri Bejarano singled to right field.  Diego Alana followed with a walk.  Nazir Mendez came off the bench to pinch hit and sent the first pitch he saw over the wall for a 7-6 lead.
 
The Bears (7-17, 2-5 ASUN) tied it on a solo home run from Nathan Negre to start the bottom of the ninth.  With the bases loaded and two outs, Sam Reynolds came up with the game-winning single.
 
The Colonels (4-22, 3-4 ASUN) grabbed the early lead.  Alana started the game with a single through the left side.  Two batters later, Tait Nunnally hit his first home run of the season – sending a 2-1 pitch over the wall in right field.
 
EKU added a run in the second and a run in the third to take a 4-2 advantage into the bottom half of the inning.  With two outs and two on, Preston Curtis swung the lead to the Bears with a 3-run home run.
 
Casey Shipley hit a solo home run in the seventh to put Central Arkansas ahead 6-4.
 
Alana had a 3-for-4 game with a walk, two runs and an RBI.  Nunnally also went 3-for-4 with a walk, a run and two RBIs.  Bejarano had three hits in four at bats and scored twice.
 
Curtis went 2-for-5 with two runs and three RBIs.  Reynolds' only hit in four at bats was the game winning hit.  He drove in two.
 
The two teams will conclude the series with a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 4 p.m. ET.