Central Arkansas tops Houston Baptist 3-0

SUGAR LAND, Texas _ Senior righthander Brandon Hagerla carried the University of Central Arkansas Bears into the Southland Conference Championship game with a 3-0 shutout victory over Houston Baptist on Saturday afternoon at Constellation Field.

Hagerla, a senior workhorse from Petaluma, Calif., went the distance in 90-degree heat, allowing 10 hits but no runs, walking just one and striking out none. The Bears scratched out single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to back Hagerla’s stellar work on the mound.

“There was no question who we were going with,’ said UCA head coach Allen Gum. “There was no doubt about it. Because we know who he’s been every single day in our program. Our baseball program is very fortunate to have him, our university is very fortunate to have a guy like him, who is as loyal and full of substance as he showed today.

“It was unbelievable. It was hot, it was humid, it was tough. And he came off 50 pitches just the other night. But he is a true warrior. He’s a true champion.’

In two appearances in the tournament, Hagerla has tossed 12.2 scoreless innings. It was UCA’s fourth game in four days and earned them a spot in the SLC championship game at 6 p.m. Saturday against third-seeded Sam Houston State.

“At the end of the year, our underclassmen do the plaques for Senior Day, and the underclassmen pick one word that describes the senior,’ said Gum. “And his word was warrior. And there couldn’t be a better word."