CONWAY, Ark (2-20-2007) - The Arkansas State Indians (1-3) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but it was all Central Arkansas (2-3) after that as the Bears rolled to a 14-5 win over the Indians Tuesday afternoon at UCA Field. ASU helped the Bears' cause as Indian pitchers combined to hit eight UCA batsmen on the day, in the first meeting between the two programs since 1993.

“After the first inning, we weren't a very good team at all, and that was disappointing,” said ASU head coach Keith Kessinger. “We will have to find a way to get better, in all aspects. Early, we had a few opportunities to score and didn't get it done, but give UCA credit, they hit the ball hard and were clearly the better team today.”

ASU senior Tyler Doke doubled off of the first pitch of the game, then scored when sophomore Jett Jones singled up the middle for the 1-0 Arkansas State lead, but UCA tied the game with a run in the second, then went on top for good with a pair of runs in the third.

UCA picked up its first run of the game when junior Grant Gatlin singled to left to lead off the bottom of the second, then scored from third when senior Jonathan Ashworth grounded into a double-play, the second in as many innings for the Indian defense. UCA took the lead in the third when junior Kevin Rawls was hit by a pitch while leading off for the Bears. Rawls scored on a sacrifice by junior Chris Davis to give the Bears a 2-1 lead, and an RBI single later in the frame from junior Chris Houk made it 3-1 UCA.

Arkansas State pulled to within a run in the fourth when sophomore Guy Brown got aboard with a two-out single, and later scored on a double steal to trim the UCA lead to 3-2, but UCA led off the bottom of the frame with a solo homer from Ashworth, then crossed the plate four more times in the inning to stretch the Bear lead to 8-2. The Bears added two more in the sixth to make it 10-2.

An RBI double from Indian senior Josh Yates in the seventh cut the UCA lead to 8-3, but the Bears tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the inning before the Indians set the final score at 14-5 with a pair of runs in the ninth. A two-run double from junior Ryan Hudgins drove in the Indians' final two runs.

Junior Pete Pasternak took the loss on the mound for the Indians, pitching two innings while giving up three runs on four hits, with two walks and a strikeout. Redshirt freshman Jack McGrath worked 1.2 innings, giving up five runs on five hits; redshirt freshman Ryan Blackburn gave up two runs on one hit with four strikeouts in 1.2 innings of work; sophomore Nick Lambert worked one inning, surrendering four runs on four hits; and sophomore Jett Jones worked the final inning, giving up no runs on no hits. Blackburn led the Indians with four strikeouts.

Matt Whitaker picked up the win for the Bears, giving up two runs on five hits, with a walk and three strikeouts.

Doke led the Indians at the plate with a pair of doubles on two hits, while Brandon Eller added a pair of hits as well. Jones, Yates, Hudgins, Brown, David Humphrey and Jordan Kimball all added one hit each for Arkansas State.

Houk and Gatlin led UCA on the day, each going 3-for-4.

The Indians will be back in action this weekend when they travel to Beaumont, Texas to compete in the Lamar Cardinal Classic. ASU will take on Creighton Friday at 1:00 p.m. then face Northwestern Saturday at 1:00 p.m. The Indians will close out the tournament with a matchup with host Lamar, Sunday at 3:00 p.m.