May 10, 2004

NKU TO MEET ASHLAND IN NCAA TOURNEY

Norse seeded fourth in North Central Regional

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University baseball team has received a berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament, and the Norse will travel to Ashland, Ohio, this Thursday to play Ashland University at 3 p.m. in the first round of the North Central Regional. NKU, now 37-23 after posting a 3-1 win over the University of Missouri-St. Louis in the championship game of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament on Sunday, has won 20 of its last 25 games going into the NCAA Tournament. NKU is the No. 4 seed, while Ashland (45-13) is the top seed in the North Central Regional. Grand Valley State University (39-14) is the No. 2 seed and will play No. 3 seed University of Wisconsin-Parkside (40-16) in the other first-round game Thursday. Play will continue through Saturday in the double-elimination format. The winner of the North Central Regional will advance to the NCAA Division II World Series in Montgomery, Ala., May 22-29. NCAA II North Central Regional (hosted by Ashland University) Thursday, May 13 Grand Valley State (39-14) vs. UW-Parkside (40-16), noon Ashland (45-13) vs. Northern Kentucky (37-23), 3 p.m. Friday, May 14 Loser's bracket game, 10 a.m. Winner's bracket game, 1 p.m. Elimination game, 4 p.m. Saturday, May 15 Championship game 1, noon Championship game 2 (if necessary), 3 p.m.