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     CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears will take on the UT Martin Skyhawks in a weekend series at Bear Stadium, the final non-conference series of the season before ASUN Conference play begins next weekend.

    UCA and UT Martin will meet for the 12th time at 4 p.m. Friday in the series opener. Game 2 is set for noon Saturday, with the series finale at 1 p.m. Sunday. The game times were changed slight due to expected rain.

    The Bears (5-7) will open ASUN play next weekend, also at home, against North Alabama.

    The Bears and Skyhawks split a pair of games last season in Conway, with UT Martin winning 3-0 and UCA taking a 13-10 victory in the second game. UCA leads the overall series 9-2, dating back to 2009. All but one of the games has been played in Conway.

    The Skyhawks are 4-10 overall but are coming off a 10-6 win over Toledo on Wednesday when they split a two-game series with the Rockets. UT Martin improved to 3-3 at home but is 1-7 on the road this season.

    Junior Hunter McLean leads the Skyhawks at the plate with a .357 batting average, followed by junior Andrew Fernandez at .304. UT Martin hits .202 as a team, with six home runs. It's opponents have a .315 average and have 20 home runs.

    UT Martin's team earned-run average is 7.02. The Skyhawks are expected to start junior left hander Tristan Walton (1-2, 7.71 ERA) on Friday, senior right hander Jordan Armstrong (1-1, 4.50) on Saturday and senior right hander Seth Petry (0-1, 4.86) on Sunday.

    The Bears will counter with freshman right hander Lucas Greer (0-0, 4.09), junior right hander Jesse Barker (1-1, 4.41) and senior right hander Noah Argenta (1-1, 6.97).
    
    UCA has won both of its home weekend series this season, taking two of three games from Southeast Missouri and Illinois State. The Bears are 4-3 at home.

    Sophomore second baseman Tanner Leonard is UCA's leading hitter at .419, followed by junior third baseman A.J. Mendolia at .385. Senior outfielder Kolby Johnson is hitting .333 and has a team-best .711 slugging percentage with four doubles, two triples and three home runs. He had two home runs in last week's ISU series, including a walk-off on Saturday and a  grand slam in Sunday's 22-10 victory.

    UCA is on the road at Arkansas State in Jonesboro, Ark., next Tuesday before ASUN play begins.