NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Central Arkansas will look to strengthen its positioning in the conference standings this weekend when they take on Stephen F. Austin. Friday's game was rained out so the series will now consist of a doubleheader on Saturday, beginning at 2 p.m.

The Bears (31-18, 7-7 Southland), who lead the Southland in overall wins, enter the series sixth in the conference standings after last weekend's sweep of Nicholls. The Ladyjacks (13-27, 4-10) are 10th, but are coming off a sweep of McNeese State which was 8-2 in league play entering that series.

UCA is even in the win column with fifth-place UTSA (7-5) and just one win behind McNeese and Sam Houston, which are tied for third at 8-4. The Bears will travel to Lake Charles to take on McNeese in the final weekend of the regular season on May 4-5.

The Ladyjacks are last in the league in batting average at .165, while UCA is 7th at .253. SFA has hit just five doubles and one home run in Southland play, both league lows. The Ladyjacks have drawn a league-high 36 walks, but have also struck out more than any other team in Southland play, with 80. UCA is third with 72.

SFA is 10th of 11 Southland teams in hits allowed per game at 8.4, just behind the Bears who are eighth at 7.0.

The Bears trail in the series against SFA, sporting a 6-9 record all-time against the Ladyjacks. Five of those wins, however, have come in the last two seasons as the Bears have taken five of six from the Ladyjacks after dropping the previous six in a row.

Last season UCA won two of three in Nacogdoches, dropping Game 1 5-4 before taking the next two 5-0 and 6-4. UCA swept the series in Conway two years ago, outscoring the 'Jacks 17-5.

Junior pitcher Kelsie Armstrong will be making a bid to become just the second pitcher in UCA history to compile 20 wins in a season, with Joanna Velasquez being the only to do so to date, going 22-11 back in 2000.

Follow the weekend's action as it happens via ucagameday.com