NASHVILLE, Tenn. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears have played a formidable schedule thus far in the 2020 baseball season, but the competition heats up even more on Tuesday when they face the Vanderbilt Commodores at 4:30 p.m. at Hawkins Field.

The Commodores (10-3) are the defending NCAA champions who finished 59-12 a year ago, beating Louisville (twice) and Mississippi State in the College World Series, and then taking two of three from Michigan for the national championship. Vanderbilt, led by long-time head coach Tim Corbin, is ranked from No. 2 to No. 5 in the current national polls.

Vanderbilt, ranked No. 1 in the preseason, has lost to No. 13 Michigan, along with unranked Cal Poly and Hawaii. The Commodores are 9-1 at home so far after finishing 28-5 at Hawkins Field a year ago. Vanderbilt has won two national championships (also in 2014) and been to 14 consecutive NCAA Tournaments.

"We'll just have to come out and play the game tomorrow against Vanderbilt,' said UCA head coach Allen Gum. "The talent level, no doubt about it, will be extreme. But what we'll try to impress on our guys is that it doesn't matter. Baseball is baseball. You throw strikes, you hit your spots, you pick it up, you throw them out.

"The margin for error with a Vanderbilt is going to be even smaller, but if you do those type of little things, turn a couple of double plays, then you give yourself a chance. And that's what we're going over there to do.'

The Bears are coming off a 2-1 weekend series win over SIU-Edwardsville at home that featured outstanding  pitching from the Bears and timely hitting from several key players. UCA's starting pitchers _ junior Gavin Stone, sophomore Noah Cameron and senior Mark Moyer _ combined for 26 strikeouts. Toss in senior closer Conner Williams, who had two multi-inning saves and struck out nine more Cougars, and the Bears recorded 38 strikeouts and issued just two walks in three games.

The Bears are third in the Southland Conference in hitting with a .267 batting average and fourth in earned-run average at 3.50. UCA's pitching staff is first in walks allowed with 27 in 11 games, an average of just 2.4 per game.

"Leading up to this game, we've played a tough schedule,' said Gum. "And we still have a lot of work to do. We're still looking for a couple more arms. But this thing is a process and we're sticking in there. If we keep throwing strikes like we are... last year we were No. 2 in the nation in fewest walks per nine innings, and No. 4 in strikeouts-to-walks. If you do that, you're going to be all right.'

UCA junior outfielder Conner Emmet, a transfer from Weatherford Community College is leading the Bears at the plate, hitting .452 with a team-high 19 hits and team-high 10 runs scored. His average and hit total both rank second in the SLC. Senior third baseman/catcher Beau Orlando is next at an even .400 and a team-best .542 on-base percentage.

The last meeting between the Bears and Commodores came in 2017 with Vanderbilt winning twice at Hawkins Field (10-5, 9-1). The only two remaining UCA players who saw action in that two-game series are Moyer and Williams. 

Junior Logan Gilbertson (1-1, 2.70 ERA) is scheduled to start on the mound for the Bears but Gum said four to five pitchers could see action with Southland Conference play starting this weekend. UCA, No. 2 in the preseason conference poll, hosts Southeastern Louisiana in the SLC opening series beginning at 6 p.m. Friday at Bear Stadium.

The game can be heard on The Bear 91.3 and will also be online on SEC Network+.