28 May 2025 Bears eliminated from ASUN Tourney with 12-5 loss

DELAND, Fla. — The University of Central Arkansas Bears could not ride their hot start to a victory May 23 and were eliminated from the 2025 ASUN Championship with a 12-5 loss to the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles at Melching Field.

The Bears, the fourth seed from the ASUN Gold Division, jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but were outscored 12-1 the rest of the way by a hot-hitting FGCU squad. 

UCA, which beat Lipscomb on Wednesday night to stay alive in the tournament, opened the game with back-to-back base hits by Keon Moseni and Tanner Leonard, followed by consecutive walks to Zeb Allen and Nate Negre, good for a 1-0 lead. Jagger Schattle had a two-run single to right field and Noah Goodshield put down a perfect safety squeeze bunt to make it 4-0.

The Eagles, the third seed from the Graphite Division, answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning. But the difference was the fourth inning when, after tying it 4-4 in the third, FGCU put up seven runs on seven hits to forge ahead 11-4. The Bears got one run back in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Negre that scored Moseni but that was all they could manage against three different Eagles’ pitchers.

FGCU starter Anthony Ursitti lasted just one inning, allowing three hits and four runs while walking two and hitting a batter. But the next two pitchers, Preston Rogers and Jordan Vera, shut down the Bears, holding them to six hits and just one run and striking out six with no walks.

“I was really proud of the guys,” said UCA head coach Nick Harlan. “They left it all out there today. With all the injuries and issues we’ve had this year, they could have easily shut it down a while ago but they didn’t. We came down here and won a big game on Wednesday and led this one early.

“We should be proud of our effort this week, and this season. The guys we had available, they definitely put it all out there.”

Second baseman Leonard, the only fifth-year Bear, finished his career by going 3 for 5 with a run scored. Moseni, a junior transfer designated hitter, was also 3 for 5 and scored twice. Senior first baseman Schattle and freshman shortstop Negre had two RBI each and freshman third baseman Goodshield added the other on the first-inning bunt.

UCA used six pitchers in their injury-riddled bullpen behind freshman starter Aden Velasquez. Velasquez and junior Hunter Alexander both recorded a pair of strikeouts.
FGCU (28-29), which finished with 17 hits, advances to face Jacksonville in another elimination game on Saturday. Austin Peay and Stetson, both 2-0, played in the winner’s bracket championship late Friday.