CONWAY, Ark. – It's not how you start, it's how you finish. The Lipscomb University Baseball team lost the opening game of a crucial three-game series to the University of Central Arkansas on Thursday night. Over the final two games of the regular season on Friday and Saturday, the Bisons outscored the Bears 23-9 to take the Gold Division with a 7-4 victory over the Bears on Saturday afternoon from Bear Stadium.
With the victory, Lipscomb and North Alabama officially share the Gold Division, but with Lipscomb taking four of six over UNA, they post the top spot in the Division. Additionally, the Bisons claimed their third regular-season championship in the last five years (2022-23-26).
Final Score: Lipscomb 7, Central Arkansas 4
Location: Conway, Arkansas (Bear Stadium)
Records: Lipscomb (26-24, 19-11), Central Arkansas (30-25, 17-13)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Lipscomb took an early lead against Central Arkansas with an unearned run in the first inning. After
Hutson Miles led off the game with a first-pitch single, he moved up to second base on a failed pick off attempt. He later scored on a double down the left field line by
Jordan Thomas. The score stood at 1-0 after the first inning.
In the second inning, the Bisons extended their lead to 2-0.
Blake Carter drew a walk and scored on a sacrifice fly by Miles.
UCA's first two hits of the game were all solo shots by the Bears, as a homer in the third and fourth pulled them even at two.
In the fifth inning, Lipscomb regained the lead with a three-run burst.
Brock Beddingfield started with a single, and Miles followed with another single.
Aaron Stelogeannis brought in Beddingfield with a single, and Thomas cashed in a two-run double. Central Arkansas answered with two runs, but Lipscomb held a 5-4 lead after five innings.
Adam Jamison slammed the door for the Bisons in the sixth. After a lead-off walk, he was able to get Casey Shipley to ground into a 6-4-3 double play to keep the momentum in the Bisons dugout.
Lipscomb added two more runs in the seventh. Miles tripled and scored on a double by
Cam Pruitt. Thomas then singled to bring Pruitt home, extending the lead to 7-4 after seven innings.
From there, the Bisons defense turned another double play in the seventh and a Zane Denton strikeout was enough.
Kaleb Kantola threw straight gas in the final two innings and struck out four, including a call third strike of Jack Runsick to secure the series win, and more importantly, the regular season title.
KEY STATISTICS
The three through eight spots in the lineup were dominant on Friday. On Saturday, it was the first four batters that went a combined 11-for-19.
Hutson Miles led the day with his second four-hit game of the season. Additionally, with his triple in the sixth, it was the sixth of the season to surpass the most in the program's Division I history.
Cam Pruitt and
Jordan Thomas each had three hits in the win. Thomas added a game-high four RBI.
Collin Bosley-Smith went four-plus innings, allowing three runs and striking out three.
Adam Jamison (4-0) came out of the bullpen and slammed the door with 2.2 innings of shutout ball thanks to two double plays.
Kaleb Kantola earned his eighth save of the year with two innings of no-run ball, striking out four of the seven batters he faced.
UP NEXT
Lipscomb will begin its ASUN Tournament run on Thursday, earning a double bye. Brackets will be announced on Sunday morning.
