The Bears baseball team (16-11, 6-3) was outscored 20-4 over the weekend, dropping two of three to Delta State (22-4, 4-2) in Cleveland, Miss.

The highlight of the weekend for UCA was the performance of junior starter Zach Barnett in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader, which the Bears took 1-0. Barnett earned the win by shutting out the Statesmen, striking out five and giving up four hits in seven innings of work. He outdueled DSU starter Justin Smith for the win. Smith fanned 11 and gave up one run on five hits. Junior Todd Gossage scored the winning run on a Roger Lenderman RBI single in the top of the fourth.

The rest of the weekend did not go as well for the Bears. They were shut out by DSU starter Brad Lightsey in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, which resulted in a 9-0 loss.

Statesman starter John Polles held off the Bears on Sunday despite a two-run homerun by Gossage. DSU took the contest and the series with an 11-3 win.

“We didn’t hit very well over the weekend,” coach Doug Clark said. “But we did get a win.”

Clark also praised Barnett’s performance, adding that his shutout was the first the Statesmen had taken since 1998.

The Bears earned two other wins over the past week, taking out Newman University on Wednesday 5-4 and Friends University on Tuesday 5-0 in a rain-shortened contest.

Junior pitcher Matt Mullikin was credited with the win on Wednesday with five innings of work, giving up one earned run on three hits. He struck out two and walked three. Junior Jake Goodwin struck out one in relief, earning his second save of the year.

Sophomore Matt Warren went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, and Junior Roger Lenderman went 2-for-4 with a double and RBI.

Tuesday’s contest with Friends was shortened to five innings because of rain, but the Bears still prevailed 5-0. Sophomore Robbie Daniel earned his second win of the year, allowing one hit and 3 K’s.

Sophomore Jonathan Ashworth put the first runs on the board with a two run triple in the bottom of the second. Senior Barrett Ward started things off in the 3rd with a double, followed by a Gossage walk and a Lenderman bunt single. Senior Brian Post then connected with a two-run single. A bases-loaded walk to Jeff Mack scored the fifth and final run.

Clark said his team is still in good shape in the conference. Eleven of their next 13 games are at home.

UCA hosts Dana College at 1 p.m. Thursday, and OBU at 12 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. on Saturday.