May 13, 2002

NKU EARNS NCAA BERTH

Norse to meet Saginaw Valley State on Thursday

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University baseball team received a berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament Sunday night, and the Norse will travel to Ashland, Ohio, this Thursday to meet Saginaw Valley State University at noon in the first round of the North Central Regional. NKU, now 35-22 after a 5-3 win over Saint Joseph’s College in the championship game of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament on Sunday, will make its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 1990. NKU - which has won 17 of its last 20 games - is ranked No. 20 nationally in the latest NCAA Division II poll. NKU is the No. 2 seed in the North Central Regional, and Saginaw Valley State (35-10) is the No. 3 seed. Top-seeded Ashland University (44-11) will meet No. 4 seed Grand Valley State University (29-15) in the other first-round game at 3 p.m. on 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 25-June 1. NCAA II North Central Regional at Ashland, Ohio Thursday, May 16 NKU (35-22) vs. Saginaw Valley State (35-10), noon Ashland (44-11) vs. Grand Valley State (29-15), 3 p.m. Friday, May 17 Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 10 a.m. Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 1 p.m. Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 4 p.m. Saturday, May 18 Winner Game 4 vs. Winner game 5, noon (Game 7 if necessary, 3 p.m.