NKU’s Matt Wagers

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University baseball team will begin its four-game series at Wisconsin-Parkside on Friday due to concerns about the weekend weather forecast in Kenosha, Wis.

The series was originally scheduled for Saturday-Sunday, but rain is expected to begin Saturday and continue through Sunday.

NKU, ranked 16th nationally in the Division II poll and No. 2 in the NCAA Division II North Central Region ratings, is 32-15-1 overall. The Norse are in first place in the Great Lakes Valley Conference standings with a 30-9-1 mark.

NKU’s Matt Wagers was named GLVC Player of the Week on Monday. Wagers batted .500 (9-for-18) with five doubles, a home run and 12 runs batted in as the Norse won five of six games last week. He also scored seven runs and finished with a .944 slugging percentage as NKU reached the 30-win plateau mark for the fifth time in the past six years.

Wagers began the week by collecting six hits and five RBI during a doubleheader sweep at Kentucky Wesleyan. In the nightcap, he went 4-for-5 and drove in four runs.

Against Indianapolis on Saturday, Wagers hit his second grand slam of the season to lead NKU to a 7-1 win in the first game of a doubleheader. He capped his week with a pair of doubles and two RBI in a 6-4 victory over Indianapolis on Sunday.

Wagers, a junior right fielder, leads NKU with four homers and 38 RBI this season.

The NKU pitching staff features left-hander Josh Bruns, who is 6-0 with a 2.98 earned run average. Senior right-hander Paul David Patterson is 4-3 with a 2.40 ERA, while junior right-hander Matt Marksbury is 4-2 with a 2.54 ERA.

NKU senior closer Steve Thomas is 2-0 with a GLVC-leading nine saves and a 0.84 ERA.

NKU will close out the regular season May 6-7 at Missouri-Rolla. The Norse are looking to clinch the No. 1 seed in the upcoming GLVC Tournament at Sauget, Ill.