Just two pitches later, it was 5-4 as UCA designated hitter Matt Warren blasted a Casey Benincosa pitch over the left field wall for the solo home run. Benincosa followed that up by plunking Roger Lenderman, who advanced to second on a balk. Catcher Chris Davis followed with a single, and shortstop Jonathan Ashworth added one of his own to plate Lenderman and knot the score at 5.

A sacrifice bunt by Dallas Black gave the Bears runners at second and third with just one out, and Harding opted to give an intentional pass to second baseman Jeff Mack – who was 0-for-3 in the game – to load the bases for third baseman Craig Nyborg, who was 2-for-3 entering the final at-bat.
Nyborg connected with Benincosa's 2-2 offering, sending a shot to Harding second baseman Zach Fisher. Fisher flipped the ball over to Whitaker at second for the second out, but Nyborg beat the throw to first to avoid the double play and allowed Davis to cross the plate with the winning run.

"I had played the situation out in my head," Nyborg said. "I just waited back to see the ball, and hit it."

Harding jumped out to a 4-0 lead on UCA early, scoring in each of the first three innings. The Bears' bats were silenced early by Bisons starter Brian McCrackin, who gave up just one earned run in 6.2 innings and allowed UCA just two hits through four innings – the first coming with two out in the 3rd.

UCA finally got on the board in the 6th, when Davis and Ashworth scored thanks in part to a pair of miscues by the Bisons. The Bears added their third run in the 7th on a towering homer by right fielder Chris Houk that cleared the scoreboard in left-center field with ease.

Blankenship moved to 3-1 with the win while Benincosa fell to 2-1.

Zach Barnett started the game for the Bears and lasted just two innings, giving up three hits, two
earned runs, striking out three and walking three.

In two innings of work, Benincosa allowed three runs, walked one, hit four batters and struck out none for Harding.