CONWAY, Ark. _ A new era of University of Central Arkansas baseball opens Friday when the Bears host Missouri State at 3 p.m. on 2022 Opening Day at Bear Stadium.

    UCA will be under the direction of new head coach Nick Harlan, the Bears' former associate head coach and pitching coach since 2013. The Bears will also be competing in a new conference for the first time since 2007, the ASUN Conference.

    "Just feel blessed to have this opportunity,' said Harlan. "And blessed to be working with this group of young men. We're excited to get started on Friday.'

    The Bears open with an always-tough Missouri State team that had a rare under .500 season a year ago, finishing 21-23 overall and 11-13 in the Missouri Valley Conference under veteran head coach Keith Guttin.

    UCA will open with sophomore Tyler Cleveland on the mound. Cleveland was the Southland Conference Relief Pitcher of the Year last season when he had nine saves and a 6-3 record as UCA's closer, striking out 84 in 66.2 innings. He will now head the UCA rotation, which will also include senior Logan Gilbertson on the mound in Saturday's Game 2.

    The Bears will host five ASUN Conference weekend series, beginning on March 25 against Lipscomb. The ASUN plays only divisional play during the regular season, with home-and-home series between the six West Division teams.

    The 2022 ASUN Baseball Championship will be held May 25-28 at Florida Gulf Coast's Swanson Stadium in Fort Myers, Fla. Jacksonville University is the defending champion.

    Along with the conference slate, UCA will also face several Top 10 programs, including Vanderbilt (March 1), Texas (March 22) and Arkansas (April 5 & April  26).

      "We're excited. We know it's a very good conference with a tremendous national reputation in baseball,' said Harlan. "There are some very well-respected coaches who have a history of success. So we look forward to competing. And also, it's just a new experience for our players and our program, playing in a little bit different part of the country, a part of the country with great baseball tradition and great baseball players, great talent.'

   UCA and MSU will meet at noon Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday for the remainder of the weekend.