By Joel Weckerly, Sports Editor

The baseball team wraps up its home schedule with a three-game Lone Star Conference South Division series against Eastern New Mexico this weekend.

The series comes on the heels of a pair of devastating losses to South Central Region opponent Incarnate Word Monday. The Crusaders pounded the Cats 14-7 in the first game and finished them off 3-0 in the nightcap.

The top four teams in each of Division II baseball’s eight regions qualify for the regional tournaments May 13-15.

UIW (26-8) did nothing but help its No. 6 regional standing, while ACU (25-21, 11-7 LSC South) dropped further in unranked status.

The Cats must now focus on sweeping Eastern New Mexico this weekend and West Texas A&M next weekend to have a shot at playing host for the LSC Post-Season Tournament April 29-May 1. First-place Texas A&M-Kingsville needs to win two of three over ENMU next weekend to be tourney host.

Senior right-hander Aaron Lawler (4-1, 5.40 ERA) will start Friday’s 4 p.m. opener against the Greyhounds, while sophomore righty Ben Brockman (5-3, 2.93 ERA) will get the nod for the nine-inning nightcap.

Freshman Ben Maynard (5-1, 4.08 ERA) should start Saturday’s noon game.