CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears will take on in-state rival Arkansas State on Tuesday on "Conway Day."

    The Bears and Red Wolves will meet at 6 p.m. at Bear Stadium. All Conway residents will be admitted for $2. UCA alum Matthew Huff will sing the national anthem and Conway Mayor Tab Townsell will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. 

    The Bears (23-18, 13-11) are coming off a weekend where they were swept by Incarnate Word in Southland Conference play on the road in San Antonio. UCA had won four straight games, including a sweep of New Orleans, prior to last weekend. 

    ASU is 119-26 overall and 7-16 in the Sun Belt Conference. The Red Wolves lost 2 of 3 at Kansas State last weekend in non-conference play.

    UCA senior left fielder Wesley Hoover of Conway is third in the SLC in hitting at .357 and is coming off a weekend in which he was 9 of 13 (.692), had three runs batted in and scored four times. Senior second baseman Brad Dillenberger is next at .339, followed by senior designated hitter Nick Rougeau of Conway at .326.

    Junior center fielder Tyler Langley of Conway is tied for sixth in the SLC in runs scored (34) and is seventh in slugging percentage (.490) with five home runs, one triple and a team-high 11 doubles.

    Senior right hander Chris Caudle will get the start for the Bears on the mound, while ASU will start junior Derek Birginske of Russellville.

    UCA, in sixth place in the standings, has two more SLC series remaining, at league-leading Southeastern Louisiana this weekend and at home against McNeese State on May 14-16. The top eight teams qualify for the SLC Tournament on May 20-23 at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, Texas. UCA won the championship in 2013 ion Sugar Land and lost in the title game last season at Bear Stadium.