HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky baseball (10-13, 8-8 Horizon League) will battle UIC (8-14, 7-9 Horizon League) in a four-game series this weekend in Chicago.  
   
NORTHERN KENTUCKY at UIC 
Thursday, April 8  – Chicago – 3:00 p.m. ET – Live Stats  
Friday, April 9 (DH) – Chicago – 1:00 p.m. ET – Live Stats 
Saturday, April 11 – Chicago – 1:00 p.m. ET – Live Stats 
  
SERIES HISTORY   
UIC has a commanding 18-4 lead in the series. The Norse fell, 20-4, in the last matchup on May 18, 2019. 
   
LAST TIME OUT   
NKU split a pair of doubleheaders against Purdue Fort Wayne last weekend, taking two wins by 5-4 and 11-10 margins. Noah Richardson had another unbelievable start on the mound for the Norse in the 5-4 victory, going seven innings deep and allowing just one earned run. His nine strikeouts pushed his K/9 in his last two appearances to 14.8. In the other victory for NKU, eight different Norse drove in a runner. Treyvin Moss picked up his second triple of the season in the game and Noah Fisher drilled his first homer of the year. 
   
SCOUTING UIC 
The Flames are 8-14 on the season and are coming off a four-game series with Youngstown State where the Penguins took three out of the four games. As a team, UIC is batting .257 with Thomas Smart and Bryan Rosario leading the way with averages of .385 and .346, respectively. RHP Jacob Key (2-2, 2.72 ERA), RHP Cristian Lopez (2-2, 4.06 ERA), RHP Ryan O'Reilly (1-4, 6.47 ERA) and RHP Chris Torres (2-1, 4.20 ERA) will be the starters for UIC this weekend.  
   
PROBABLES   
  
Ben Gerl (1-3, 6.96 ERA) remains the first starter for NKU. Richardson (2-0, 3.57 ERA) will look to continue his recent success in game one of Friday's doubleheader with Kyle Klingenbeck (3-2, 5.79 ERA) following him in game two. Sunday's starter is to be announced.  
   
HOME-RUN KING   
NKU returns the 2019 College Home Run Derby Champion for his senior season. Doersching, took the 10th annual prize in Omaha, Nebraska, after clubbing 20 home runs to Tyler Keenan's (Ole Miss) 15 in the final round. In the 2019 season, Doersching smacked 13 out of the park, had a .503 slugging percentage and drove in 44 runs. He has been a machine this season, carrying a .293/.653/.454 slash line and seven home runs. At 34 career home runs, he is the sole owner of second in the all-time record books and is chasing John Heeter's 48.     
 
MOSS GROWS ON THE SIDE FACING HOME   
After a solid freshman season that saw him hit .297, outfielder Treyvin Moss picked up where he left off a season ago. He currently bats at a .320 clip and an even better .391 rate with runners in scoring position. His 15 RBIs on the year lead the Norse and he has the most multiple-hit games (six) for the Norse this season.  
 
ONE-TWO PUNCH  
The Norse arguably have their best game one and game two starting-pitcher combination in the Division I era this season. Although Gerl is just 1-3 on the year, he's gone at least five innings on the mound in all but one game, dished 6.5 strikeouts an appearance, and has yielded more than four runs just twice. Klingenbeck has been just as lethal, pitching two complete games and allowing two runs or less on three occasions.   
  
NOTHING TASTES BETTER THAN BACON   
Andrew Bacon came alive in the 2020 season, ending it on a 13-game hitting streak. The senior carried a .303/.470/.342 slash line, smashed out a Horizon League-leading three home runs, and batted in 15 runners, which also led the league. He is currently hitting .232 with 11 RBIs and 15 runs scored, but after a slow start to this season Bacon has hit .305 (11-of-36) in the last 11 games.  
 
NEW YEAR, NEW NORSE   
In total, 10 players joined the Norse over the offseason: Camden Brandt, AJ Clegg, Gerl, Lucas Gulczynski, Michael Hall, Liam McFadden-Ackman, Josh Romans, Tyson Shaw, Bryce Smith and Bryce Thomas.    
   
ONE FINAL RIDE   
On Feb. 26, head coach Todd Asalon announced that the 2021 season will be his last as he is retiring at season's end. Now in his 21st year with the Norse, Asalon owns a 557-568-1 record. He guided the Norse through its Division I transition, which began in the 2013 season, and helped NKU post its winningest Division I season in 2017 with a 25-33 record. Prior to the Division I era, he led NKU to the NCAA Division II tournament in eight-consecutive seasons.    
   
Joining Asalon on his staff are his assistants and former Norse Dizzy Peyton (14th season) and Pat Hyde (sixth season). Accompanying them is Matthew James, who is in his second season with NKU.