CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears open the 2012 baseball season at home this weekend, hosting Creighton University in a three-game series.

The Bears, under second-year head coach Allen Gum, will open at 3 p.m. Friday at Bear Stadium with junior lefthander Jeffery Enloe taking the mound. Enloe, 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, is a transfer from Wallace Community College. Creighton is expected to start staff ace and preseason All-American Tyler Blach, 10-3 a year ago for the Jays, who went 45-16 and made the NCAA Tournament.

UCA and Creighton met at Bear Stadium last season, with UCA winning 8-7. Creighton won the only other meeting between the teams 3-2 in 2010 in Conway.

The Bears’ lineup returns sophomore second baseman Jonathan Davis, the reigning Southland Conference Freshman of the Year, along with five other starters. The pitching staff includes nine new pitchers, along with returnees Andy Steinmetz, Blake Payne, Jim Youngblood, Ethan McKinzie, Clint Green, Ryan Angus, Logan Ariola and John Kordsmeier.

The series continues on Saturday (5:00) and Sunday (1:00). The Bears will play at home the first three weekends of the season, including series against SIU-Edwardsville (Feb. 24-26) and Murray State (Mar. 2-4).

UCA baseball will be streamed live on the internet, along with live stats, at www.ucasports.com. Select early season games will also be carried on KUCA 91.3 FM with Steve Owens, as well as the entire Southland Conference slate.