CONWAY — Following a pair of mid-week wins over Hendrix and ULM, Central Arkansas will look to extend its winning ways through the weekend as the Bears host Southland Conference foe Nicholls State tonight at 6 and Saturday at noon.

The Bears (29-17, 5-7 Southland) will be aiming to break the program record for wins in a season, having tied the 2000 team's mark with Wednesday's 5-0 shutout win over ULM. They will also be attempting to make up ground in the conference race against a Colonels (9-23, 4-4) team that currently holds what would be the sixth and final spot in the league tournament, one spot ahead of UCA.

The Bears are just 4-11 all time against the Colonels, who were coached in each of those games by current UCA assistant Jenny Parsons. Parsons served as the Colonels' head coach for seven seasons, taking them to the Southland Conference tournament four of the five years before coming to UCA, including a spot in the championship in 2008. UCA assistant Chris Watford will also be facing his former team after serving on Parsons' staff at Nicholls for the previous five seasons.

UCA swept the Colonels last season in Conway, winning 3-0, 8-1 and 4-2. Melissa Bryant was 4-for-9 (.444) at the plate with three RBI in that series, Melanie Bryant had a home run and two RBI, and Nicole Beals was 4-for-9. Kelsie Armstrong, who can reach a new career high in season wins, had a pair of victories in last season's series – throwing a pair of complete-game victories with an ERA of 1.00 and 22 strikeouts. Cami Newsome notched a complete-game victory in the other game, allowing one earned run and fanning six.

The Colonels feature the league's reigning player of the year in senior third baseman Ashley Ray, who is second in the league in batting (.398), slugging (.720), on-base percentage (.463) and is third in home runs (7) and total bases (67).

UCA is 12-3 at home this season while Nicholls is 3-5 on the road with wins at Centenary, Jackson State and Stephen F. Austin.