MONROE, La. (Interstat) — The Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks broke open a tight game with a pair of big innings, cruising to a 10-2 victory over the Central Arkansas Bears in the first game of a doubleheader Sunday at Warhawk Field.

The win evened both teams’ early-season records at 2-2 and gave the Warhawks a 2-1 series lead after the teams split the first two games of the weekend set.

Central Arkansas struck first, manufacturing a run in the second inning. Parker Gwyn led off with a triple to right center and later scored on an RBI infield single by Kade Moseni. The Bears added another in the third when Jayden Sloan scored on a groundout by Jack Runsick, cutting an early Warhawks lead to 4-2.

Louisiana-Monroe had seized control with a four-run second inning, capitalizing on small ball and opportunistic baserunning. After Shawn Lewis was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a wild pitch and a single, Bryce Wiethorn drove in the tying run with a single. Jake Mauzy followed with another single to give the Warhawks the lead. The final run of the inning scored when Mauzy was caught stealing, allowing Wiethorn to cross the plate.

The game remained 4-2 until the bottom of the sixth, when the Warhawks delivered the decisive blow. With two on and one out, Lewis launched a three-run homer to deep left field, his second of the season, to extend the lead to 7-2. Wiethorn later scored on a groundout by Colby Dean to make it 8-2.

Louisiana-Monroe put the game out of reach in the seventh. After a leadoff single and a stolen base by Matt Haggard, pinch-runner turned starter Kade Wray connected for a two-run homer to right field, his first of the year, pushing the advantage to 10-2.

The most important part of the game was Louisiana-Monroe’s four-run second inning, which immediately answered Central Arkansas’s first run and established a lead the Warhawks would not relinquish. The rally, fueled by a hit batter, a single, a stolen base, and timely hitting, shifted momentum permanently away from the Bears, who had several scoring opportunities but stranded multiple runners.

Central Arkansas collected 11 hits but went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base. The Bears’ lineup struck out 15 times. Moseni led Central Arkansas with three hits and an RBI.

Louisiana-Monroe’s 14-hit attack was led by Dean, who finished a single shy of the cycle with a home run, a double and two singles, driving in two runs. Lewis had the big three-RBI homer, while Wray added two hits, including his two-run shot.

Warhawks starter Connor Dermody earned the win, allowing two runs on eight hits over four innings. Reliever Cade Brodnax provided three scoreless innings of relief. Central Arkansas starter Hunter Fernandez took the loss.

The teams were scheduled to conclude the series with the second game of the doubleheader later Sunday.