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CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears continue their home stand at 6 p.m. Friday when they host the Illinois State Redbirds in Game 1 of their three-game series at Bear Stadium.

UCA will face ISU again at 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.

In contrast, Illinois State is on a 14-game road swing to open the 2023 season. The Redbirds will not play a home game until March 17. Their latest road contest was Wednesday night in Fayetteville where they took Top 10 Arkansas to 11 innings before falling 10-9. Prior to that, ISU played a weekend series at Arkansas State, where they took two out of three from the Red Wolves in Jonesboro.

UCA is coming off an 8-6 loss to the Memphis Tigers on Tuesday night at Bear Stadium. UCA rallied from an 8-2 deficit but could not complete the comeback against the 8-2 Tigers.

The Bears (3-5) have dropped four straight games by a combined margin of five runs. UCA is hitting .255 as a team and its opponents just .207. UCA also has a better earned-run average than its opponents at 4.12 to 4.32. Sophomore second baseman Tanner Leonard is the Bears' leading hitter at .414, followed by senior outfielder Dylan Cyr at .321.

Cyr and junior center fielder Drew Sturgeon are tied for the team lead with three home runs. 

The Bears have the ASUN Pitcher of the Week in junior transfer Payton Windham, who has both started and relieved early this season and could make his way into the weekend rotation. He has not allowed an earned run in 8.1 innings over two appearances. Freshman Coleman MacRae also has a 0.00 ERA over two appearances.

Saturday starter Jesse Barker has recorded a team-high 17 strikeout in just 10.1 innings
 
Illinois State counters with senior right hander Derek Salata, who is 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA, with 17 strikeouts in 10 innings. He was the Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week this week after striking out 12 at Arkansas State last weekend. 

The Redbirds had three home runs among their 13 hits against Arkansas on Wednesday and have nine homers for the season. They are hitting .280 as a team but their team ERA is 6.91.