Box Score CONWAY, Ark. --Leading 1-0 in the fifth inning, the University of North Alabama baseball team couldn't hold the lead and dropped a 9-1 decision to Central Arkansas in the ASUN Conference opener for both schools.

With the loss, UNA is 5-11 overall and 0-1 in the ASUN.

UNA got on the scoreboard first with a run in the third inning. Dominick McIntyre walked, went to second on a failed pickoff attempt and then stole third. He scored on a sacrifice fly by Kyle Machado.

Central Arkansas finally broke into the scoring column off UNA starter Justus Agosto in the fifth inning when Mason King singled and Kol Johnson hit a two-run home run. Reid Bowman then singled in the third run of the inning.

The Bears added two more runs in the sixth inning to push their advantage to 5-1, and then scored three more in the seventh and one in the eighth.

Agosto (1-3) took the loss for UNA, allowing three runs on seven hits over five innings. Jacob Bradshaw allowed five runs over 2.2 innings and Kevin Henrich allowed the final run.

Gehrig Frei and Ethan Walker led UNA with two hits each.

The Lions and Bears continue the series with single games on Saturday and Sunday.