CONWAY, Ark. (Interstat) — Keaton Laidley’s solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning broke a 4-4 tie and lifted Central Arkansas to a 6-4 victory over Stetson on Tuesday night at Bear Stadium in an ASUN conference contest.

The Bears, now 31-25, used a balanced attack to overcome a Stetson team that entered with a 23-32 record. The Hatters outhit Central Arkansas 12-9 but could not overcome a pair of mid-inning rallies by the home side.

Stetson struck first, pushing four runs across in the top of the first inning against Bears starter Denver Hamilton. Jack Harley led off with an infield bunt single, and after two outs, Anthony Dessureault singled to center to put runners at first and second. A subsequent play — a lineout to right field — ended the inning but not before Stetson had already built a 4-0 lead.

Central Arkansas answered in the bottom half. Parker Gwyn singled and advanced on a base hit by AJ Allen, then a walk loaded the bases. Laidley grounded out to first base, driving in Gwyn for the Bears’ first run. A groundout by Cole Ross brought home Allen, trimming the deficit to 4-2. The Bears left two runners stranded when Schattle flied out to left.

Both teams went quiet over the next two innings. Stetson managed only a single by Jake Hylton in the second and a hit-by-pitch followed by a single in the third, but could not score. Central Arkansas also squandered chances, leaving two runners on base in the second after a walk and a single.

The Bears tied the game in the fourth. Singles by Schattle and Runsick put two aboard, and a walk to Denton loaded the bases. Gwyn then singled through the left side, driving in Schattle and Runsick to knot the score at 4-4. The inning ended when Allen popped up and Negre grounded out.

Stetson responded in the top of the fifth. Harley walked, and two singles — the second by Renzo Gonzalez — drove in Harley to give the Hatters a brief lead. Dessureault reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Gonzalez, but the rally stalled when Dessureault was thrown out at home trying to score on a single by Fernandez. The teams were tied 4-4 after four and a half.

The pivotal moment came in the bottom of the fifth. Stetson made a pitching change, bringing in Andrew Lepine to replace James Hays. Laidley greeted Lepine by crushing a solo home run to right field, his fourth of the season, giving Central Arkansas a 5-4 lead. A hit-by-pitch followed, and Stetson quickly turned to Connor Ball, who struck out two batters and induced a groundout to end the inning.

Central Arkansas added an insurance run in the sixth. Denton doubled to right-center, advanced to third on a Gwyn groundout, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Allen to make it 6-4.

Stetson chipped away in the eighth. With two outs, Harley doubled and Gonzalez singled him home, pulling the Hatters within 6-5. But Bears reliever Hunter Alexander, who had entered in the seventh, struck out the next batter to end the threat. Alexander worked a scoreless seventh and eighth, allowing three hits and one run while striking out four.

In the ninth, Stetson got a two-out single from Fernandez but Hylton grounded out to the pitcher to end the game. Alexander earned the win, while Hamilton — who allowed nine hits and four runs over six innings — took a no-decision. Ball threw four innings of hitless relief for Stetson, allowing one earned run and striking out three, but took the loss after Laidley’s homer.

For Central Arkansas, Laidley finished 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs. Gwyn was 2-for-5 with two RBIs. For Stetson, Gonzalez went 3-for-5 with an RBI, and Harley and Anthony Gonzalez each had two hits.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Stetson 5, Central Arkansas 4. Interstat’s ELO system gave Stetson a 65.60 percent probability to win.