LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Interstat) — Nic Bronzini pitched eight shutout innings and Arkansas-Little Rock broke open a scoreless game with four runs in the sixth inning Sunday to defeat Morehead State 4-0 at Mims Gym.

Bronzini allowed four hits, struck out eight and did not walk a batter in earning the victory. He faced only one jam, in the eighth inning when the Eagles loaded the bases with no outs on a walk, an error and another walk. Bronzini struck out Hayden Olson, then induced a double play grounder from Max Kearns to end the threat.

The Trojans improved to 28-20 overall and took the Ohio Valley Conference series two games to one after dropping the opener Friday. Morehead State fell to 24-22, having won Saturday to even the series before Sunday’s shutout.

Arkansas-Little Rock left fielder Blake Simpson delivered the decisive blow, a two-run single in the sixth inning. Right fielder Ty Rhoades added an RBI single later in the frame, and designated hitter Nico Baumbach contributed a sacrifice fly.

The game remained scoreless through five innings as Bronzini and Morehead State starter Connor Davis traded zeros. Davis held the Trojans hitless through 5 1/3 innings but struggled with command. He walked one, hit a batter and was charged with four earned runs on zero hits before being lifted.

The Trojans’ breakthrough began when catcher John Lopez singled to right-center with one out in the sixth. Shortstop Tyler Smith followed with a bunt single, and both runners advanced on a balk. After a mound visit, first baseman Angel Cano was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Simpson lined a 1-1 pitch to right field, scoring Lopez and Smith for a 2-0 lead. Left fielder Jake Freund then sacrificed the runners to second and third.

Morehead State brought in reliever Kamden Hawks, who immediately gave up Rhoades’ RBI single to center that scored Cano. Baumbach’s sacrifice fly to right scored Simpson, making it 4-0.

The Eagles mounted their best threat in the eighth. With Bronzini still on the mound, second baseman Angelo Correa walked. Pinch hitter Drew Dutton reached on an error by third baseman Matt Freund, and third baseman Sam Germann walked to load the bases with no outs. Bronzini struck out Olson swinging and got Kearns to ground into a 6-3 double play.

Bronzini had allowed three hits over the first seven innings. The only other base runners came in the second, when Derek Coomer singled, and in the third, when Germann singled. Both were left stranded.

Morehead State managed just four hits on the day. Kearns singled twice, and Coomer and Germann each had one hit. The Eagles struck out 11 times.

Arkansas-Little Rock totaled nine hits. Rhoades finished 2 for 4 with an RBI. Simpson went 1 for 3 with two RBIs. Baumbach was 1 for 3 with an RBI. Catcher Zach Hill singled twice, and Lopez, Smith and pinch hitter Derek Chaplain each had one hit.

The Trojans executed three sacrifice hits, including two bunts and a sacrifice fly, and drew one walk.

Morehead State reliever Devin Costa pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings with one strikeout. Hawks allowed one run on one hit in one inning. Gage Haley pitched a perfect ninth for Arkansas-Little Rock, striking out two.

The series opened Friday with Morehead State winning 1-0. The Trojans won Saturday 8-5 before Sunday’s shutout. In the previous weekend, Arkansas-Little Rock lost two of three at Lindenwood, while Morehead State split a high-scoring home series with Southern Indiana, winning 17-13 and 6-5 before losing 13-3 and 15-2.

Arkansas-Little Rock plays host to Arkansas State on Tuesday before traveling to Tennessee-Martin for a three-game series starting Friday. Morehead State returns home to face Western Illinois for three games beginning Friday.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Morehead State 8, Arkansas-Little Rock 6, while Interstat’s ELO system gave the Trojans a 60.10 percent probability to win.