The Stetson baseball team returns to action this weekend for the first of just three ASUN home series when they host the Lipscomb Bisons.

All three games are scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN3 with Evan Weston and Robert Goldberg on the call of the games. Friday's series opener will feature a special treat as former Stetson football All-American, and current Jacksonville Jaguars standout Donald Payne will be on hand to throw out the first pitch.

Stetson (25-8, 1-2) comes into the series having lost four consecutive home games against the Bisons, including an 8-6 loss last season to eliminate the Hatters from the ASUN Tournament. Lipscomb (15-16, 3-3) swept Stetson the last time the Bisons came in for a weekend series, in 2016, outscoring the Hatters 19-5 in the series.

That series loss to Lipscomb in 2016 was actually the last time Stetson lost an ASUN series to a team other than Kennesaw State, which has now won three consecutive series from the Hatters.

The series between Stetson and Lipscomb dates all the way back to 1965 even though the schools did not become league foes until 2004. The Hatters hosted the Bisons 19 times between 1965 and 1984, but Lipscomb held the advantage over those years, winning 10 times. Stetson leads the all-time series between the programs 36-29.

Stetson completed a two-game season series sweep of USF on Wednesday. The Hatters won both games against the Bulls despite getting just 10 hits in the two games, combined. Stetson tied its season high with 14 strikeouts against the Bulls on Wednesday after striking out just five times in the first meeting.

Sophomore shortstop Jorge Arenas bounced back from a rough weekend at Kennesaw State with three hits on Wednesday, which was a season-high for him. He leads Stetson with 10 multiple-hit games so far this year.

Five Stetson pitchers combined to record 11 strikeouts on Wednesday, giving the Hatters hurlers 21 Ks in two games against the Bulls. Freshman Austin Wood had the most impressive performance, striking out six in two innings of work against USF.

Stetson's quartet of veteran hurlers have had mixed success against Lipscomb in their careers. Combined, the four have made 13 appearances, including five starts. They have pitched a total of 48.1 innings with a 3.35 ERA but have a combined record of 2-4 with 44 strikeouts and 18 walks.

Here are their individual career totals.     

• Brooks Wilson - 16 IP, 14 hits, 8 runs, 7 earned, 3 BB, 14 K, 0-2, 3.94 ERA     
• Ben Onyshko - 10 IP, 10 hits, 5 runs, 3 earned, 8 BB, 13 K, 0-1, 1 save, 2.70 ERA     
• Jack Perkins - 10.1 IP, 14 hits, 7 runs, 3 earned, 1 BB, 9 K, 1-1, 2.61 ERA     
• Logan Gilbert - 12.0 IP, 12 hits, 5 runs, 5 earned, 6 BB, 11 K, 1-0, 3.75 ERA

Stetson has never faced any of the three pitchers expected to start this weekend for Lipscomb. Two of the hurlers pitched in junior college and the other is a freshman.

Friday's series opener will pit Gilbert (6-1, 2.98) against Lipscomb junior Josh Colon (1-2, 3.65). Gilbert will be looking to bounce back after suffering his first loss since the 2016 season last week at Kennesaw State. Colon, a native of Carolina, Puerto Rico, has struggled with injuries all season. He came back last week against Jacksonville after missing the previous two weeks, but struggled with his control, walking six batters and hitting three others.

Several Stetson players are approaching season and career milestones. Here are some of the marks within reach over the next few games:     

• Jorge Arenas needs 11 hits for 100 in his career and he needs three RBI for 50 in his career.
• Logan Gilbert needs 7.0 IP for 200 in his career. When he gets to 200 IP, Gilbert will be 2nd on the career ERA list. Gilbert is also six strikeouts from ninth on the career list.
• Austin Hale needs 8 ABs for 500 in his career and needs two doubles for 30 in his career. Hale needs 30 putouts to tie Nick Rickles for 5th on the Stetson career list and 13 total defensive chances to tie Rickles for fourth on that list.
• Jacob Koos is 10 hits shy of 150 in his career. He also needs four RBI for 50 and three SB for 40.
• Ben Onyshko is 5 away from 150 career strikeouts.
• Jack Perkins is 14 away from 200 career strikeouts.
• Mitchell Senger is 15 away from 100 career Ks.
• Mike Spooner is five hits away from 100 and three RBI from 70.
• Brooks Wilson is 9 IP from 300 in his career. He is 18 strikeouts away from 300 in his career, but needs just five to pass Chris Ingoglia for 5th on the career list and 10 to pass Chuck Beale for fourth. His next save will tie Roger Lincoln for 8th on the career list. He is five saves away from Robbie Powell's single season record of 18 saves, set in 2012.