CONWAY, Ark. – Central Arkansas starter Cody Davenport pitched seven shutout innings while Jay Anderson and Josh Ragan provided the offense with three RBIs each to lead the Bears to an 8-3 victory over South Dakota State in nonconference baseball action Friday.

The Bears capitalized on early struggles by SDSU starter Brady Stover, turning four first-inning walks into the first run of the game.

In the third inning, four of the first five UCA batters reached as the Bears extended their lead to 5-0. Beau Orlando drove in the first run with a single to right field, while Anderson delivered two batters later with a two-run double to left-center field that knocked Stover out of the game. Alfonso Bibiano plated the final run of the frame with a base hit to left.

Davenport only had two innings in which he retired the Jackrabbits in order, but the right-hander limited SDSU to two singles, walked two and hit a pair of batters to go along with six strikeouts.

UCA put the game farther out of reach in the home half of the seventh as Ragan connected on a three-run homer to left.

The Jackrabbits spoiled the shutout bid against the Bears’ bullpen by breaking into the scoring column in the top of the eighth. Gus Steiger led off with a walk, moved to third on a Braeden Brown single and scored on Josh Falk’s sacrifice fly. Brown added a two-run single in the ninth, and was joined in the two-hit club by Logan Holtz and Luke Ira.

UCA held an 8-7 advantage in hits, with Anderson leading the pack with a 2-for-3 afternoon at the plate.

Brett Mogen held the Bears in check for the first three innings of his relief stint before allowing Ragan’s home run – all three runs were unearned – in the seventh.

Up Next

The Jackrabbits’ two games scheduled for today have been moved up due to impending inclement weather. SDSU (3-5) now is slated to play Missouri at 1 p.m., with a rematch against Central Arkansas to follow shortly after the conclusion that contest. SDSU and UCA play again Sunday at 1 p.m.