12 Mar 2025 Bears shut out for first time in series finale

CONWAY — The University of Central Arkansas Bears were shut out for the first time this season on Sunday as Evansville pitchers Kevin Reed and Sam Sandy combined for an 8-0 victory in the series finale at Bear Stadium.

Reed, who went 7 innings and struck out 6 and allowed 3 hits, while Sandy made his season debut and allowed just 2 hits over the final two innings. The Bears (5-8) had a combined 30 hits in the first two games of the series, an 11-10 win in 10 innings on Friday and a 6-5 loss on Saturday.

Junior third baseman Bryce Cermenelli had two of UCA’s five hits. The Bears threatened to score several times, leaving the bases loaded in the sixth inning, and two on base in the eighth. In all, UCA stranded 11 runners and could not take advantage of three Evansville errors.

The Purple Aces (5-9) finished with 11 hits, spread among nine different players.

UCA’s bullpen quartet of Perry Titlow, Bryce Parlin, Luke Lorence and Jackson Schwank held Evansville scoreless over the final two innings. Freshman Aden Velasquez, in his first career start, allowed 3 hits and 4 runs over 2.0 innings. Junior Gavin Alveti struck out 4 batters in 4 innings but also allowed four runs.

UCA opens ASUN play this weekend against North Alabama in a series that will be played at UAB in Birmingham, Ala., due to construction at UNA’s home field in Florence, Ala.