Mar 13th, 2007 03:58AM
by:

By STEVE EAST
UCA SID

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The University of Central Arkansas Bears rode the right arm of senior Jonathan Ashworth to a 6-2 victory over Alabama-Birmingham in the final game of their three-game series on Sunday (March 4).

Ashworth pitched seven innings and allowed five hits, two runs and struck out five. Josh Charette came in and got the final six outs with one hit and one strikeout.

The Bears (6-5), with an offense that had been non-existent in the first two games, managed eight hits and used a big four-run sixth inning to pull away from the Blazers (4-7). Leadoff batter Kevin Rawls went 2 for 5 with and RBI, while Craig Nyborg, Zack Dickson, Graham Martin and EricTennyson added RBI for the Bears.

After UAB scored a run in the first, Rawls accounted for the Bears’ first run in the third when he singled to left-center, stole second base and went to third on a wild pitch, and then scored on another wild pitch. UAB went back ahead at 2-1 in the bottom of the third before UCA took over.

Grant Gatlin started the sixth by being hit by a pitch. Kent Taylor singled to right and Payton Seelinger ollowed with a bunt single to load the bases. Martin reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Gatlin.

Tennyson grounded out to second base to score Taylor before another wild pitch sent Martin to third. Bobby Pritchett walked and Rawls singled to right to bring in Martin. Nyborg greeted reliever Robert Brewster with an RBI single to make it make it 5-2.

The Bears increased their lead to 6-2 in the eighth, with help from another wild pitch. Pritchett reached on an error and went to second on an errant pitch. Rawls advanced the runner with a groundout before Dickson bunted back to the pitcher and Pritchett scored.

UCA plays at UALR at 4 p.m. on Tuesday.