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CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears will open Atlantic Sun Conference play at home Friday against the same team they finished the season with a year ago, the Eastern Kentucky Colonels.

Game 1 of the series is set for 6 p.m. at Bear Stadium.

UCA (7-10) will be hosting its first of five ASUN home series. The Bears went 14-16 in league play a year ago, but finished the regular season by taking two of three from the Colonels in Conway. That improved UCA's overall record against EKU to 5-4 in the series. 

The Colonels (2-15) have played a tough non-conference schedule thus far, facing three Top 25 teams in No. 15 Auburn (three-game series), No. 2 Kentucky (twice) and No. 5 Tennessee on Tuesday in Knoxville, Tenn. EKU has lost seven consecutive games since a win over Western Illinois on March.2

UCA is also on a losing streak, with its last victory coming over Tarleton State on March 2 as well, finishing off a six-game winning streak.

The Bears dropped three close games to Missouri State last weekend, losing 4-2 on Saturday and 8-6 and 7-6 on Sunday, the latter in 10 innings. It was UCA's first extra-inning loss of the season in four games.

The Bears will open with graduate Jesse Barker on the mound in Friday's matchup. Barker, from Benton, Ark., struck out 10 in seven innings against Missouri State last Saturday but took a no decision. EKU will open with sophomore Nathan Lawson, who is 1-1 with a 7.56 earned-run average.

UCA is hitting .243 as a team, led by center fielder Drew Sturgeon at .348 and designated hitter Jagger Schattle at .346. Sturgeon has a team-high four home runs, while senior first baseman A.J. Mendolia has team highs of six doubles and 15 walks.

Senior Conner Davis leads the Colonels with a .371 batting average, followed by senior Max Williams at .322. EKU's team earned-run average is 10.04 and the pitching staff has walked 102 batters, an average of six per game, and hit 30 batters. EKU has used 20 different pitchers this season.

Game 2 is set for 4 p.m. Saturday, with the series finale at 1 p.m. Sunday at Bear Stadium.