Fernando Gonzalez and Tanner Rainey combined on a two-hit shutout as West Alabama defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 3-0, Saturday at the Torii Hunter Baseball Complex.

West Alabama pitching has shut out the Division I Lions for 18 consecutive innings while winning the first two of a three-game series. UWA won 13-0 on Friday.

The Tigers improved to 18-9, while UAPB dropped to 7-15.

“For the second straight day our pitching obviously set the tone for those wins,” UWA head coach Gary Rundles said. “Fernando commanded the plate all day and then Tanner did what he needed to do to close the door.”

Gonzalez (5-1) allowed just two hits over eight innings, striking out five and walking two, for the win. Rainey earned his fourth save by striking out two in a scoreless bottom of the ninth. UAPB starter Mikey Ramirez (2-3) scattered nine hits, but allowed just one run over eight innings to absorb the loss.

Tyler Richburg, Jack Cockrum, Joel Murphy, Jocobby Robinson and Rainey all had a pair of hits in a 12-hit UWA offensive attack. Rainey had the Tigers only extra base hit, a double in the first inning.

“I was pleased that we responded well in a tight baseball game after everything coming so easily on Friday,” Rundles said. “I liked the character we showed in the ninth after not scoring in four previous innings with runners on third.”

With a 1-0 lead, Cockrum’s two-out single in the ninth inning drove in Mitch Holgate and Robinson to give the Tigers some breathing room with Tanner on to pitch the ninth.

The final game of the series is Sunday at 1 p.m.