JACKSONVILLE, Ala. _ Six more games remain in ASUN Conference play for the University of Central Arkansas Bears, who are fighting for a spot in the ASUN Championship.

UCA takes on the Jacksonville State Gamecocks this weekend in a three-game series at Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium. Game times are 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. All games can be heard live on The Bear 91.3.

The Bears (21-26, 12-12) are currently in a three-way tie for eighth place in the conference standings, tied with Kennesas State and Liberty. Jacksonville State (22-25) is in sole possession of fourth place  with a 15-9 league mark. The top eight teams will play in the championship at Stetson in DeLand, Fla., on May 23-27.

UCA took two of three games last weekend at home, beating Austin Peay 4-2 and 16-15 and losing to the Governors 7-6. JSU won one of three games at Liberty last weekend, winning the opener 11-4 before dropping the next two 13-3 in seven innings and 18-8.

Friday's opening game will feature arguably two of the best starting pitchers in the ASUN in UCA's Jesse Barker and JSU's A.J. Causey. Barker, a junior from Benton, Ark., is 7-2 with a 2.53 earned-run average. He leads the league in ERA among starting pitchers, strikeouts (94) and is tied for the lead in victories.

Causey, a sophomore righthander, is 5-1 with a 4.10 ERA and has 74 strikeouts in 63.2 innings. Causey had two losses against the Bears last season, both in relief.

The Bears and Gamecocks played six times a year ago in the double round-robin format, with each team winning three times. UCA went 2-1 at home at Bear Stadium and JSU was 2-1 at home as well. Those are the only six meetings between the teams.

The Bears got victories on the mound from Tyler Cleveland, who had 18 strikeouts over two outings and Andrew Shoultz and Tyler Navarro in relief appearances. UCA hit .266 in the series with 11 doubles, while JSU hit .256 with nine home runs.

The Gamecocks have victories over Georgia and Ole Miss this season, while UCA knocked off No. 10 Vanderbilt back in February.

UCA has one final mid-week non-conference game next Tuesday against the Little Rock Trojans at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock before closing out the season at home next weekend against Eastern Kentucky in ASUN play. That series will begin on Thursday night at Bear Stadium.