HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University baseball team continues its month-long road swing to open the 2017 campaign, taking on Sacramento State in Sacramento, California for a four-game series. First pitch for the opener is set for 9:30 p.m. ET at John Smith Field on Thursday.

The series continues on Friday at 9 p.m. ET, continues Saturday at 5 p.m. and concludes Sunday at 4 p.m.

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

Gameday Information
Northern Kentucky Norse (1-2) at Sacramento State Hornets (2-1)
John Smith Field | Sacramento, Calif.

Thursday, Feb. 23 – 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT
NKU: Jr. LHP Trey Ganns
Sac State: Sr. RHP Justin Dillon

Friday, Feb. 24 – 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT
NKU: Jr. RHP Pat Kelley
Sac State: Fr. RHP Austin Roberts

Saturday, Feb. 25 – 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT
NKU: So. RHP Jordan Menfee
Sac State: Fr. RHP Parker Brahms

Sunday, Feb. 26 – 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT
NKU: So. RHP Kyle Arganbright
Sac State: TBA
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Norse took one game off Campbell in a three-game series to open the 2017 campaign in Buies Creek, North Carolina last weekend. The Norse won game two of the set, 5-3, in comeback fashion. NKU pitchers allowed just one earned run and held the Camels scoreless for the final three innings. Meanwhile, the offense continuously erased one-run deficits and used a two-run seventh inning to take the lead for good.

NKU fell to the Camels, 12-5, in the season opener after Campbell came out swinging to take a 9-0 lead through the first three innings. In the finale, NKU held a 5-1 lead through four and a half, but a pair of three-RBI hits from the Camels in both the fifth and sixth innings handed them the 8-5 victory.

NORSE DEBUTS: Nine different players made their first appearance as a Norse last weekend. Graduate transfer TJ Alas and freshman Preston Pilat started all three games in the outfield while junior transfers Chad Roberts and Jake Richmond started in the infield. The quartet combined for 10 of NKU's 23 total hits against Campbell.

Pitchers Kyle Arganbright, Joe Martin, Travis Rowland, Brody Basilone and Cameron Ross also saw action out of the bullpen as the newcomers combined for a 3.00 ERA with seven strikeouts in 9.0 innings pitched. In total, all Norse relievers combined for a 3.38 ERA with 10 strikeouts in 13.1 total innings of work.

NEARING 500: Head Coach Todd Asalon, who is in his 17th season at the helm of the program, is just six wins away from securing his 500th victory at Northern Kentucky. Asalon has amassed a 494-426-1 record at NKU and owns a 638-518-1 record in his 23rd year as a head coach.

STREAKING: Richmond, Alas, Kyle Colletta and Trey Ganns each reached base in all three games to start the season. Alas also opened the year on a three-game hit streak. Alas is tied with Will Haueter for a team-high four hits and is second in RBI with two, behind Haueter's team-high three RBI. Alas also leads the team with a .571 slugging percentage with one double and a home run.

Richmond opened the year with a team-best .500 on-base percentage and clubbed three hits, two of which were doubles. Colletta leads the team with a .500 batting average on a 3-for-6 showing with an RBI, while Ganns posted a pair of RBI.

ON THE MOUND: Ganns, a left-hander, is set to toe the rubber in the series opener for the second-straight week. The junior tossed 2.1 innings in his first appearance against Campbell last weekend. He led all starters with a 4.21 ERA in 47.0 innings last season. Pat Kelley, a junior right-hander, will get the start on Friday. Kelley threw 5.0 innings against Campbell, allowing two runs (one earned run) for a 1.80 ERA to open the year. He struck out three while issuing just one walk. Sophomore Jordan Menfee will start on Saturday after making his fifth career start last weekend when he held the Camels to one run and struck out for in his first four innings of work. Arganbright is the expected starter for the finale. The sophomore junior college transfer made two appearances out of the bullpen against Campbell and totaled 2.2 shutout innings with a pair of strikeouts.

SCOUTING THE HORNETS: Sacramento State is the first of two first-time opponents for the Norse this season, the other being Radford (March 10-12). Sacramento State opened the 2017 season taking 2-of-3 games from Washington State at home. The Hornets have had five-consecutive 30-win seasons and went 30-28 overall last season including 16-11 in the Western Athletic Conference. They have had success at home, posting a 63-28 home record over the last three seasons.

Sacramento State returns seven starting position players as well as three starters and five relievers from last season. The Hornets are batting .216 early this season while the pitching staff owns a 3.33 ERA. Last year, the team batted .258 with a 4.26 ERA.

The Hornets return three players that hit better than .285 last season led by senior Kody Reynolds who hit .295 with 14 RBI. This season, Devin Lehman is the early batting leader with a .429 average, two doubles, two RBI and five walks. Senior right-handed pitcher Justin Dillon will start in the season opener after an injury limited him to just three appearances in 2016. He accrued a 3.67 ERA in 68.2 innings of work in 2015. The Hornets have a pair of freshmen right-handers starting in Austin Roberts and Parker Brahms. Both hurlers tossed at least four innings and allowed just one run in their first collegiate starts last weekend.

UP NEXT: The Norse return to action March 3-5 for a three-game series in Atlanta against Georgia State. The series opens Friday, March 3 at 4 p.m.