April 6, 2000

NKU’S AKER NEARS 800 CAREER WINS

Norse head coach now at 797 victories

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University baseball team, which owns an 18-12 overall record, will travel to Fort Wayne, Ind., to play Indiana-Purdue University at Fort Wayne in a three-game series this Saturday and Sunday.

NKU head coach Bill Aker needs just three victories to reach the 800-win plateau. Aker currently owns a record of 797-556-1 in 29 seasons with the Norse. He could reach the milestone at IPFW this weekend.

NKU is 3-3 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference going into the weekend series with IPFW. NKU’s home doubleheader against the University of Indianapolis this past Wednesday (April 5) was postponed due to rain, and it has been rescheduled for 1 p.m. on April 12 at Friendship Field.

NKU junior catcher Michael Tudor leads the Norse in hitting with a .435 batting average. Tudor also has five home runs and 27 runs batted in. Junior first baseman Matt Mason leads NKU with six home runs and 29 RBI, and he also is batting .384. Mason has also hit a team-leading 11 doubles.

Junior relief pitcher Shaun Fausz leads the GLVC in saves with eight. Sophomore right-hander Lenny Bays leads NKU in victories (5-3 record), and he has 35 strikeouts in 39 1/3 innings pitched.