CONWAY, Ark. (Interstat) — Central Arkansas used a three-run second inning to seize control and never looked back, defeating Lipscomb 4-1 on Thursday night at Bear Stadium in an ASUN clash.

The Bears jumped ahead in the bottom of the first, tying the game when Nate Negre scored on a wild pitch after walking and stealing second. But the decisive rally came in the second.

Keaton Laidley doubled to right-center to open the frame, and Mark Ross followed with an RBI double to left. Jack Runsick then singled to left, driving in Ross for a 3-1 lead. Runsick later stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Allen Zeb, making it 4-1.

That was more than enough for starting pitcher Denver Hamilton, who earned the win with six strong innings. Hamilton allowed seven hits and one earned run while striking out two and walking none. The right-hander improved his recent form after a rough outing against North Alabama on May 8, when he gave up nine hits and four earned runs in 6 2/3 innings. His previous start before that was a dominant seven-inning, zero-hit, zero-run performance against Austin Peay.

Lipscomb starter Alexander Llinas took the loss despite a bizarre stat line. He pitched seven innings, allowed no hits, but surrendered four earned runs — all in the second — and struck out four. The four runs came on two hits (both in that inning), but the official box score credits him with zero hits allowed because the Bears’ first hit, a single by Parker Gwyn in the first, was erased on a caught stealing. Llinas’s line still included four earned runs due to the wild pitch and the sac fly.

Lipscomb’s only run came in the sixth inning. Hutson Miles led off with a single, advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Stelogeannis and scored on a single to right by Cam Pruitt. But Pruitt was caught stealing to end the threat. Miles finished 3 for 4, and Pruitt went 2 for 4 with an RBI.

Central Arkansas’s bullpen closed the door. Silas Cowgill pitched a scoreless seventh, allowing one hit and striking out two. Hunter Alexander worked a dominant eighth, giving up one hit and fanning four. Mack Mabrey pitched a perfect ninth for Lipscomb, striking out two, but the Bisons’ offense could not mount a rally.

The Bears’ offense was led by Laidley (2 for 4), Runsick (2 for 3, RBI) and Ross (1 for 2, RBI). For Lipscomb, Miles and Pruitt combined for five of the team’s nine hits, but the Bisons grounded into two double plays and left eight runners on base.

The game was the first of a three-game series between the two teams, who met three times in Nashville in April. Central Arkansas won two of those three, including a 12-6 victory and a 10-5 win before Lipscomb salvaged the finale 6-5. The Bisons entered the series having won two of three against Bellarmine last weekend, while Central Arkansas split a doubleheader with North Alabama on May 9.

Lipscomb fell to 24-24 overall with the loss, while Central Arkansas improved to 30-23.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Lipscomb 7, Central Arkansas 6, and Interstat’s ELO system had given Lipscomb a 52.70 percent probability to win.