CONWAY, Ark. (Interstat) — In a wild ASUN Conference opener that defied pregame projections, the Central Arkansas Bears outslugged the Bellarmine Knights 17-12 on Friday night at Bear Stadium in a game defined by a staggering first-inning outburst.

The contest, forecast by Interstat’s simulator to be a low-scoring 5-4 affair, was turned on its head before many fans had settled into their seats. Bellarmine struck first, plating two runs in the top of the first on a two-run double by Luke Scales.

What followed was a historic half-inning of chaos. The Bears sent 15 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first, erupting for 10 runs on eight hits while capitalizing on two Bellarmine errors, a balk and a passed ball. The Knights used three pitchers in the frame, but could not stop the onslaught.

Shortstop Nathan Negre, the top star for Central Arkansas, delivered the crushing blow. After an RBI double earlier in the inning, he launched a two-run, unearned home run to cap the 10-run rally, giving the Bears a commanding 10-2 lead. Negre, who had been in a recent slump going 3-for-15 over his previous four games, finished 3-for-6 with two home runs and a career-high seven RBIs.

Bellarmine refused to capitulate. The Knights chipped away, highlighted by a three-run homer from Eli Watson in the fourth inning. They then batted around in that same frame, scoring five runs total to pull within 14-12, keyed by a two-run double from pinch-hitter Jake Bell.

The Bears’ bullpen, however, stemmed the tide. Reliever Silas Cowgill entered in the fourth and provided five critical innings, allowing three hits and five runs while earning the win. After Watson’s homer, Cowgill and the Bears’ defense held Bellarmine scoreless from the fifth through the eighth innings.

Central Arkansas added insurance, with Zeb Allen hitting a solo homer in the fifth. They then put the game out of reach with two unearned runs in the eighth, aided by a Bellarmine throwing error, to extend the lead to 17-12.

Bellarmine mounted a final threat in the ninth, loading the bases with no outs and scoring three runs, but reliever Jake Jones induced a pop-up with the bases loaded to end the game.

Kade Seldomridge added four hits and two RBIs for Central Arkansas, while Jagger Schattle drove in four runs, including a three-run homer in the first. For Bellarmine, Watson drove in three runs and Bell had two RBIs. Knights reliever Cole McMichael provided two scoreless innings of hitless relief.

The victory improved Central Arkansas to 12-10 overall and 1-0 in ASUN play. Bellarmine fell to 6-14 and 0-1. The two teams continue their series Saturday.