Final Score:  Lipscomb: 8, Central Arkansas: 6
Location:  Nashville, Tenn. (Ken Dugan Field)
Records:  Lipscomb: 26-18 (13-8, ASUN), Central Arkansas: 19-23 (13-8, ASUN)
 
THE SHORT STORY 
Lipscomb Baseball defeated Central Arkansas 8-6 Sunday afternoon to clinch a crucial ASUN series victory. 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Central Arkansas took an early 1-0 lead, but Lipscomb immediately responded in the bottom of the first. Caleb Ketchup hammered a leadoff home run over the left field fence to quickly tie the game 1-1. The Bisons bats stayed hot with back-to-back hits from Maddux Houghton and Mason Lundgrin for a pair of base runners with no outs. Malik Williams cashed in with an RBI single through the right side for a 2-1 lead. The fifth-straight hit scored another run when Rudy Maxwell singled through the left side for a 3-1 lead after the first inning. 
 
The Bears scored three runs on five hits in the top of the second to retake a 4-3 lead.
 
Lipscomb punched right back in the bottom of the inning to retake the lead. Chaz Bertolani and Ketchup worked back-to-back walks giving Houghton a pair of runners. He doubled to right field to score the tying run and Ketchup continued to home plate on a throwing error for the 5-4 lead. Rudy Maxwell notched an RBI with a sacrifice fly for another run and a 6-4 advantage. 
 
After a furious start, the pitchers from both teams settled in for scoreless third and fourth and fifth innings. 
 
Lipscomb went to the bullpen in the top of the sixth and called on John Cheatwood. He got two quick outs, but the Bears loaded the bases. Matthew Maldonado then went to the hill in relief and forced a fly ball to strand the bases loaded and keep the two-run lead. 
 
UCA threatened again in the top of the seventh with a runner on, but an incredible grab in foul territory by Trace Willhoite and a huge strikeout from Chandler Giles kept the Bears off the board in the inning. 
 
Houghton gave Lipscomb another run in the bottom of the seventh with a homer over the left field fence for a 7-3 advantage.
 
After being held scoreless for five-consecutive innings, Central Arkansas scored a pair in the top of the eighth on a two-run home run to put the pressure on the Bisons and cut the lead 7-6. 
 
Lipscomb's final run of the day came when Trace Willhoite got a run back in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run over the left field fence to push Lipscomb back out to a two-run, 8-6, cushion. 
 
Matthew Bohnert and Trey Nordmann combined for the three outs needed in the top of the ninth to secure the 8-6 win. 
 
HERD NOTES

• Williams was 3-for-4 on the afternoon. Ketchup also had a multi-hit game. 
• Ike Buxton picked up the win, throwing five innings with six strikeouts. 
• Central Arkansas out-hit the Bisons 12-10. 

 
UP NEXT
The Bisons will be back at home Friday, May 6 at 6 p.m. for an ASUN series against Bellarmine.