MOBILE, Ala. – The defending ASUN Conference West Division Champion Eastern Kentucky University baseball team will open its 2023 season with four games this weekend in Mobile, Alabama.
 
The season begins on Friday against Alabama-Birmingham at 1 p.m. ET.  EKU will play a doubleheader against host South Alabama on Saturday starting at 4 p.m. ET.  The road trip concludes against Northwestern State at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
-  The Colonels are 3-1 all-time against Alabama-Birmingham.
 
-  EKU and South Alabama have never played each other.  The Colonels and Northwestern State will also be meeting for the first time.
 
THE COLONELS
-  EKU went 38-20 last season and 20-10 in the ASUN Conference.  The Colonels won a share of the 2022 West Division Championship and finished tied for the best conference record in the league.  The 38 wins were the most by an EKU team since 1990.
 
-  The Colonels were ranked 46th in Collegiate Baseball's Fabulous 50 NCAA Division I Pre-Season Poll.  EKU was the highest ranked ASUN team and was ranked higher than such programs as South Carolina (47), Alabama (49) and BYU (50).
 
-  EKU has produced six All-Americans in the past six years.
 
-  Seven position starters and the designated hitter return from last season's championship team.  A total of 15 pitchers return from the 2022 squad, including three who made weekend starts.
 
-  The Colonels were first in the ASUN and 39th in the NCAA in fielding percentage (.975) in 2022.
 
-  Shortstop Logan Thomason was voted by fans as the ASUN Conference Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
 
-  Michael Schuler, a senior right-hander, is set to be the opening day starter for the second straight season.  He went 5-2 last year with a 4.11 ERA and 51 strikeouts over 61 and one-third innings.  Junior righty Rese Brown, who was 6-3 with a 3.76 ERA and 82 strikeouts in 76 and two-thirds innings last season, is scheduled to start game one on Saturday.  Sophomore left-hander Isaac Milburn will get the ball for game two on Saturday.  He went 2-4 with a 5.09 ERA last year.  Rian Yates, a junior right-hander, will start the weekend finale on Sunday.  He was 0-2 with a 3.80 ERA in 2022.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
-  UAB went 31-25 overall last season and 13-17 in Conference USA.  First baseman Christian Hall returns after hitting .370 with 11 home runs and 48 RBIs last season.
 
-  South Alabama finished the 2022 season 31-23 overall and 17-13 in the Sun Belt Conference.  Outfielder Miles Simington returns in 2023 after batting .383 with seven home runs, 53 RBIs and 45 runs scored a year ago.
 
-  Northwestern State had a 25-29 record in 2022 and finished 12-12 in the Southland Conference.  Outfielder Jeffrey Elkins hit .278 with 13 home runs, 38 RBIs and 41 runs scored last season.