PHOENIX, Ariz. –  Shooting 302, the Battlin' Bears and Orediggers are tied for the lead after the first eighteen holes of the Frontier Conference Championship.

The 2018 Frontier Conference Champions return all five golfers from last year's championship team with a goal of returning the the NAIA's national tournament. The Battlin' Bears recorded more birdies, 18, than any other team, but trailed four teams with 41 pars on the day.

At the end of the day, Montana Tech's Sean Benson holds the lead after shooting one-under-par 71.

Rocky's Reece Nilsen tied for second with Tech's Sean Ramsbacher at 2-over-par 74. The sophomore tied teammate HoTae Kim and Benson for the most birdies on the day with five. 

Kim, Colton Murphy, and Michael Tait each played a round of 86. Mitchell Thiessen tied Lewis-Clark's Zach Rawls finished in 11th with a score of 77.

"We made a few uncharacteristic mistakes today, but still share the lead heading into day two," said men's head golf coach Aaron Pohle. "We are very excited to get started tomorrow as the team has a lot of confidence in themselves." 

The Battlin' Bears will play the second round tomorrow of the Frontier Conference Championship at Papago Golf Course in Phoenix, Ariz. The winner of the tournament will earn an automatic bid to the 2019 NAIA Men's Golf National Championship.