HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University baseball team is in the midst of a seven-game homestand as it plays host to Northwestern in midweek action on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at Bill Aker Baseball Complex.

Links to live stats and audio are available at NKUNorse.com.

Gameday Information
Northwestern Wildcats (5-13, 0-0 Big Ten) at Northern Kentucky Norse (6-13, 0-3 Horizon League)
Bill Aker Baseball Complex | Highland Heights, Ky.
Tuesday, March 22 – 3 p.m.
Northwestern: Jr., LHP Cooper Wetherbee
NKU: Fr., RHP Matt Ianni
 

LAST WEEKEND: The Norse were swept by Valparaiso over the weekend in NKU's Horizon League debut. Game one of the series went into 10 innings after the Norse overcame a two-run deficit in the bottom of the ninth on a groundout and Quint Heady RBI single. However, a successful squeeze attempt by Valpo in the top of the 10th handed the Crusaders a 5-4 victory. Game two saw Valpo assemble a late rally to pull away, 6-4, while the Valpo offense came out swinging in the series finale to win it, 16-1.

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS: Northwestern (5-13) will take on Cincinnati in the finale of a three-game series on Monday before traveling to take on the Norse on Tuesday. The Wildcats are on a three-game skid after falling to San Diego State and dropping a pair of games to Cincinnati over the weekend. The squad is led by first-year head coach Spencer Allen. Northwestern leads the Big Ten with a .288 team batting average. They are led by Matt Hopfner who is batting .412 with 28 hits and .544 slugging percentage. Jack Dunn follows with a .301 average while Willie Bourbon has driven in a team-best 13 runs.

SERIES HISTORY: The teams have only met once prior when Northwestern defeated the Norse 4-3 at Shelby Park in Nashville, Tennessee on Feb. 23, 2013. The matchup was just the sixth game for NKU as a Division I program. Each team clubbed a three-run home run in the third inning of the contest, but a late run for Northwestern sealed the Wildcat victory.

NKU AGAINST THE BIG TEN: NKU looks to earn its first win against a member of the Big Ten Conference. The Norse are 0-5 against Big Ten teams, with three losses coming to Ohio State. Northern Kentucky took on Indiana in 2011 as a Division II program and fell, 7-3.

HOT STREAK: Sophomore infielder Dominic Mercurio had a successful weekend against Valpo, batting 6-for-13 with a pair of multi-hit showings. Mercurio is hitting .440 (11-for-25) across the last six games he has played, improving his season average from .231 to .283 in that span. The sophomore is tied for third on the team with 17 total hits.

PITCHING MATCHUP: The Norse are expected to send freshman RHP Matt Ianni to the mound to make his first start and second appearance this season. Ianni, who came to NKU from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada made his collegiate debut on March 5 against Western Illinois when he tossed 1.2 relief innings. Meanwhile, Northwestern will throw southpar Cooper Weatherbee for his fourth start and sixth overall appearance. Weatherbee has accrued a 7.84 ERA in 10.1 innings pitched with six strikeouts and three walks.

UP NEXT: The Norse play host to Oakland to wrap up the season's longest homestand. The three-game set begins on Thursday, March 24 at 3 p.m.