THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University baseball team will square off against the University of Central Arkansas in a three-game series this weekend beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday at Ray E. Didier Field.
 
The Colonels (17-18, 8-4 SLC) are coming off two straight victories, defeating Northwestern State 4-2 on Saturday before downing South Alabama 15-4 on Wednesday.
 
The Bears (17-3, 6-6 SLC) have dropped their last two games, falling 7-4 to Southeastern Louisiana before a 3-0 loss to Arkansas State.
 
Nicholls has been steady from the mound all season, leading the conference in pitching, and is gradually heating up offensively. The team has improved their batting average 65% over the course of the year.
 
Keith Cormier is leading the Colonels at the plate, batting .301 with 28 RBIs and 24 runs. Philip Lyons is hitting .291 and has knocked in 15 while scoring 24 runs of his own. Leo Vargas is second in the nation in sacrifice bunts with 12, while batting .271.
 
Doug Votolato leads the Bears offensively, batting .345 with 29 runs scored. Chris Townsend has a team-leading 25 RBIs.
 
Taylor Byrd (4-2) will take the mound on Friday for the Colonels, entering the game at second in the conference in both ERA (1.59) and strikeouts (50). Grant Borne (4-2) has fanned 44 batters on the season carries a 3.51 ERA. Brandon Jackson (2-1) has been outstanding in recent weeks and will take the mound on Sunday, ranked first in the conference in pitching, with a conference-leading 1.50 ERA.
 
Central Arkansas will throw a pair of righties, Bryce Biggerstaff (2-3) on Friday and Chris Caudle (5-2) on Saturday. Sunday's pitcher has not been announced.
 
The Bears will be without outfielder Tyler Langley, who was suspended eight games for his involvement in a bench-clearing brawl on April 2. Catcher Brandon Montalvo, infielder Nate Ferrell and Assistant Coach Trent Kline will be eligible to play on Friday after serving four-game suspensions.
 
Friday and Saturday's games will be broadcast on KNSU 91.5 and Sunday's game will air on KTIB 640 AM.