HAMMOND – The No. 22-ranked Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team returns to action beginning Friday when it plays host to UT Arlington in a Southland Conference series at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.

First pitch for Friday's opener is scheduled for 6 p.m. The series resumes on Saturday at 2 p.m. before concluding on Sunday at 1. All three games can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the internet at www.LionSports.net. Fans who have an iPhone or iPod touch can also listen to each game by downloading the free KSLU application to their device.

Southeastern (No. 22 in Collegiate Baseball, No. 22 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and No. 24 in USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll) enters the weekend one game behind Texas State in the Southland Conference standings with both schools meeting next week in Hammond.

Southeastern (24-6, 8-4 SLC), which is tied with McNeese State for second place in the league, is one-half game ahead of Northwestern State and Stephen F. Austin and one game ahead of UTA (14-15, 7-5 SLC) in the league standings.

The Lions look to bounce back after dropping their first series of the year last week at Lamar. Southeastern fell to the Cardinals in the first two games, 7-4 and 8-1, before bouncing back to claim a 5-1 win in the series' finale.

Southeastern lost a wild 12-11 decision on Tuesday at Sun Belt Conference leader South Alabama as the Jaguars twice rallied from a four-run deficit. Jeff Harkensee went 4-for-5 with a single, double and triple and drove in three runs to lead the Lions. Justin Boudreaux and freshman Brock Hebert each belted home runs for Southeastern, which collected 13 hits off five USA pitchers.

Harkensee leads Southeastern at the plate with a .356 average with Boudreaux following at .350 with a team-high seven home runs and 35 RBI. Cody Gougler (.324-3-25), Hebert (.323-1-29), Cass Hargis (.320-0-24) and Chris Franklin (.314-0-7) are next in hitting for the Lions, who hit .296 as a team and are averaging 7.6 runs per game.

Junior right-hander Tyler Watkins (3-2, 3.27 ERA) will start in Friday's opener for Southeastern with UTA countering with right-hander Jason Mitchell (4-2, 1.96 ERA).

The Lions will send junior Brandon Efferson (5-1, 2.38 ERA) to the mound in Saturday's contest with the Mavs expecting to start right-hander Rett Varner (3-3, 4.60 ERA). Both teams have not announced their starting pitchers for Sunday's finale.

UTA, which opens a stretch where it plays eight of its next nine games, is led at the plate by Golden Spikes Award Watch list nominee Michael Choice with a .396 average, 11 home runs and 31 RBI. The All-American candidate has reached base safely in 41 consecutive games dating back to last season and has hit safely in 24 of 29 games played in 2010.

Chad Comer is next in hitting for UTA at .340 with Preston Beck (.316-1-11) and Jordan Vaughn (.301-1-11) next. The Mavs enter the series hitting .283 as a team with a 4.98 team ERA.

Tickets are available by calling the Southeastern Athletic Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or on-line at www.LionSports.net.