Northern Kentucky University Athletics

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University baseball team opens the season this weekend by playing at Montevallo (Ala.) in a three-game series.

The broadcasts of this weekend's games can be heard live at www.nkunorse.com.

The Norse come off a successful 41-22 season in which they won their second consecutive Great Lakes Valley Conference championship. NKU is looking to become just the second team in GLVC history to win three straight championships.

NKU returns seven of nine starters in the batting order and three of the team's four starting pitchers. Evan McDole, last year's GLVC Player of the Year, comes back looking to crush several offensive records this season. Meanwhile, senior outfielder Jason Cisper, who led the GLVC with a .413 batting average in 2009, hopes to continue his offensive tear into the 2010 season.

NKU is currently ranked No. 22 in the NCAA Division II national poll.

A WORD ABOUT MONTEVALLO: The Falcons are 3-5 on the season, with seven of their eight games being played at home. Montevallo is in the midst of a two-game set with Delta State this week prior to returning home to host NKU. Chris Sosebee leads the team with a .483 (14-for-29) batting average with a pair of home runs and nine runs batted in on the young season. Heath Tapscott is the ace on the hill for the Falcons, boasting a 2-0 record with an 0.82 earned run average in 11 innings of work. Tapscott has struck out 12 batters and held opponents to a .135 batting average. While Montevallo leads the all-time series, 18-6, NKU has won four of the last five meetings.

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME: Though regular opponents throughout the 1980s, NKU and Montevallo have met just once since 1988, a 1-0 victory for the Norse on Feb. 13, 2005. Keith Jackson pushed across the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning while four NKU pitchers combined on the shutout.

RETURNING TALENT: NKU has a bevy of talent returning to the field for the 2010 season, including seven All-GLVC performers. McDole and Cisper each claimed first-team honors last season, while infielders Patrick Muth and Jeff Bohlen and pitchers Dave Middendorf, Ryan Schmidt and Jarrett Casey were all named to the third team.

JUST ONE MORE: With his next pitching appearance, Kevin Jordan will tie the school's career appearances record. Joe Renner, who threw for the Norse from 1989-1992, made 76 pitching appearances in his four-year career.

SLOW STARTS: NKU is 14-22 all-time in season-openers and has dropped seven of its last eight opening games.