Final Score:  Lipscomb: 3, Central Arkansas: 0
Location:  Conway, Ark. (Bear Stadium) 
Records:  Lipscomb: 11-12 (1-5, ASUN), Central Arkansas: 9-13 (4-2, ASUN)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Lipscomb Baseball picked up its first ASUN win of the season, defeating Central Arkansas 3-0 on the road Sunday afternoon behind strong pitching. 
 
THE SHORT STORY 
 
The Bisons got on the board early with its first run of the series in the top of the first. Maddux Houghton got things going with a one-out single to left field. After Mason Lundgrin reached on an error and Malik Williams reached on a walk, the Bisons loaded the bases with just one out. Rudy Maxwell took advantage and delivered a sacrifice fly to shallow center field that Houghton used his speed to score on for a 1-0 lead. 
 
Trace Willhoite had the second hit of the inning with an infield single that loaded the bases once again. Lipscomb would strand the bases juiced, but not before taking the early lead.
 
With a one-run cushion, Ike Buxton made his sixth start on the mound for the Purple and Gold. The Bears knocked a pair of hits, but Buxton got two ground balls and a strikeout to keep the Lipscomb lead. 
 
Lipscomb added to its run total in the top of the second with a two-out rally. Tiger Borom started things with a two-out single through the right side and scored when Houghton stayed hot with a triple to the left field corner for a 2-0 lead. 
 
Central Arkansas threatened in the bottom of the second with a pair of hits to put runners on the corners with one out. Lipscomb showed out on defense and threw a Bear out at home plate attempting to score on a pickoff attempt and Buxton forced a ground ball for out three to keep the lead at a pair. 
 
The Bisons' offense slowed down in the third and fourth innings, but the defense was up to the challenge and allowed just one base runner in the home half of the innings and kept Central Arkansas off the board through four. 
 
Ethan Stamps notched the only hit in the fifth or sixth inning for either team with a single to right field, but he was stranded as neither team cracked the scoreboard in the innings. 
 
Lipscomb increased its lead in the top of the seventh when Houghton stayed hot with a two-out single through the left side. After Houghton stole second, Lundgrin followed that up with an RBI single through the right side for a 3-0 Lipscomb lead. 
 
Matthew Bohnert relieved Buxton in the bottom of the seventh inning and was immediately effective, striking out three of the four batters he saw in the inning, protecting the Lipscomb lead. He continued to deal in the eighth, picking up another pair of punch outs. 
 
Borom connected on his second hit of the day with a one-out single in the top of the ninth. Houghton advanced him to second on a sacrifice bunt, but the Bisons were unable to score him in the inning and would head to the bottom of the ninth trying to hold onto a three-run cushion. 
 
Trey Nordmann came out of the bullpen in the bottom of the ninth. He got into a bit of a jam, finding the bases loaded, but he got a strikeout and pop fly to strand the Bears and secure the 3-0 victory. 
 
HERD NOTES

• The Lipscomb pitching staff struck out 10 batters and walked just one.
• Buxton improved to 2-2 going six innings with no runs or walks and three strikeouts. 
• Nordmann picked up his third save of the season.
• Houghton went 3-for-4 with a pair of singles and a triple.
• Borom was 2-for-3 with a walk. 

 
UP NEXT
Lipscomb will be back in action to take on Vanderbilt at First Horizon Park on Tuesday, March 29. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. CT.