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CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears return to Atlantic Sun Conference play on Friday when they host the Eastern Kentucky Colonels in Game 1 of their three-game series at Bear Stadium.

The Bears are 1-5 in ASUN play while the Colonels are 3-3.

EKU is just 4-21 overall after starting the season with 17 consecutive losses, including three games against Ole Miss and one at No. 23 Kentucky. The Colonels lost 10-0 at No. 12 Vanderbilt on Tuesday.

UCA has lost seven consecutive games, including three to Austin Peay last weekend in Conway. The Bears will close out an eight-game home stand this weekend before playing at Arkansas State next Tuesday night.

The UCA-EKU series is tied at 6-6, with nine of the12 games being played in Conway. The Bears won the series opener a year ago behind a 14-strikeout performance by senior right-hander Jesse Barker, who was eventually named the ASUN Pitcher of the Year. 

UCA closer Hunter Alexander got the victory in relief before EKU took the final two games. UCA hit just .219 for the series while EKU had a .294 batting average. 

UCA is fourth in the ASUN in batting average this season at .275 while EKU is 12th at .210. EKU is ranked ninth in earned-run average at 7.99 while UCA is 10th at 8.14. UCA gets the defensive edge with a .971 fielding percentage to .940 for EKU, which has a league-high 53 errors. UCA has just 24, despite four against Arkansas State on Wednesday night.

The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, beginning at 3 p.m., to avoid possible weather issues on Sunday.