Feb. 26, 2008

Coca -Cola Classic Schedule in PDF Format

DeKALB, Ill. - Northern Illinois baseball announced the addition of two games to the beginning of its 2008 schedule. The Huskies will now begin their season Thursday, Feb. 28 in Surprise, Ariz., with games against Portland and Hawai'i.

NIU will be playing each school for the first time one day before both the Pilots and Warriors begin play in the Coca-Cola Classic hosted by Arizona State University.

The Huskies will face Portland at 1 p.m. MST at Surprise Stadium before facing Hawai'i at 5 p.m. MST.

"I cannot say enough about the incredible effort put forth by Arizona State University, Mark Coronado and the personnel in Surprise to put this opportunity together for us," said head coach Ed Mathey. "They worked through contractual issues and were able to pull this off and we are truly fortunate that they were able to do so."

After the cancellation of the Huskies' four-game series at Texas Tech following the Feb. 14 NIU campus tragedy, Northern Illinois was to open Feb. 29 at Southern Illinois, a three-game series that remains as scheduled in Carbondale.

"To be able to get outside and start playing is important," said Mathey. "We are behind the other teams that we will face this week because they have been outside and have played, but this is a good chance to get going."

-NIU-