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    NEW ORLEANS, La.  _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears will carry the momentum of consecutive Southland Conference series victories into their four-game set against the New Orleans Privateers at Maestri Field in New Orleans this weekend.
    
    The Bears (17-22, 12-16) are coming off back-to-back series victories over Stephen F. Austin and Northwestern State, winning three of four games both weekends. The task is a bit taller this weekend against the Privateers (25-19, 20-12), who sit in second place in the SLC standings, trailing only Southeastern Louisiana. Game times this weekend are 6:30 p.m. Friday, 2 and 5 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.

    The Privateers split a four-game series with McNeese _ another team remaining on UCA's schedule _ last week, losing the first two games and rebounding to take the last two in Lake Charles. UNO has just two remaining league series, finishing the regular season with a conference bye and traveling to Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., on the final weekend.

    UCA closes out the regular season with another road series at Houston Baptist next weekend before hosting McNeese on May 20-22 for Senior Weekend.

    The Bears lost the series opener last weekend 8-4 to the Demons before winning the final three games in a pair of doubleheaders at Bear Stadium.  UCA won the second game 3-1 on Friday night, then swept Saturday's doubleheader 9-2 and 13-8. The Bears took advantage of some unsteady pitching by the Demons, drawing 23 walks and 11 hit by pitch in the series. In the final game alone, the Bears walked nine times and were hit eight times.

    Senior first baseman Coby Potvin led a UCA offense that hit .260 but had a .425 on-base percentage in the four games. Potvin had a .571 batting average and an .857 slugging percentage, going 8 for 14 with two doubles and a triple to earn SLC Hitter of the Week honors on Monday. Sophomore designated hitter Taylor Daniell (.385) and sophomore second baseman Hunter Hicks (.333) also topped .300 for the weekend, while senior right fielder Connor Emmet pushed his team lead in home runs to seven with a pair in Saturday's finale.

    A trio of seniors, Mark Moyer, Conner Williams and Brad Verel, earned the victories on the mound for UCA. Williams struck out eight over 5 innings while Moyer added six strikeouts in his five innings. Both allowed just a single run, while Verel had 1 2/3 scoreless innings in two relief appearances.

    The Bears have dominated the series with the Privateers, leading 15-2 since UNO joined the SLC in 2013. UCA won the first 10 meetings from 2013 to 2016, and has now won the past four, including a three-game sweep in New Orleans in 2018, the last time the teams played. UCA is 8-1 in games played at Maestri Field.