MORRIS, Minn. - This weeked the Cougars will travel to the Twin Cities to take on Northwestern in a three game series starting with a doubleheader on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Friday afternoon. The series concludes on Saturday with a single game at noon. The three game series is featured as the UMAC Game of the Week but will include every game in the series.

The Cougars, who are on a three game winning streak, will look for their first victory over Northwestern since a 5-3 win over 2011. The Cougars claimed UMAC wins over Northland and Crown to start the conference portion of the season.

So far this season 2014 Cougars pitching staff has an ERA of 5.58 through 13 games this year, an improvement of 4.28 from 2013. The offense is hitting 50 points better than last season has an on-base percentage near 90 points higher.

Starting with the game on Friday, the Cougars will play six games over a four game stretch. They have a total of 11 games in nine games, with just one off day, April 15.

Per Northwestern Sports Information:

Northwestern enters this weekend's three-game series against Minnesota Morris after playing for the first time in over two weeks on Tuesday against North Central in the Eagles' UMAC opener. Northwestern beat the Rams in both games of that doubleheader, earning 10-run rule victories each time. Before a three-game losing stretch on March 22 and 23, the Eagles had won four out of their last five games including three of four in the final days of their spring break trip in Florida.

UNW has fallen victim to the injury bug as of late, but head coach Dave Hieb has had some individuals step up in times of opportunity. Sophomore Aaron Rau has maintained a .341 batting average starting 13 of the team's 14 games in 2014. Rau's slugging and on-base percentages of .415 and .417 are respectable, as is 100 percent steal rate (5-5). Newcomer Tyler Osborn has made a name for himself as the outfielder has a .333 average with a Northwestern-best 15 hits while sharing the team lead with four doubles.

Both Tyler McMurray and Ryan Sutterer hit home runs in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader. Sutterer, another Eagles rookie, offers a big bat with three triples and 10 RBI to go with his .548 slugging percentage, while McMurray offers a nice leadoff hitter to go with a perfect fielding rate. With a team ERA of 5.97, Hieb hopes to see that number continue to go down this weekend as opponents have hit a successful .334 against Eagles pitchers.

GAME NOTES:

- Northwestern leads the all-time series record against Minnesota Morris, 23-7. The Eagles have won the last five games between the two teams.

- Minnesota Morris is looking to start the UMAC season 4-0 for the first time since 2006.

- This weekend will be the first true road trip for the Cougars in 2014.

- UNW continues its farewell season on its current Reynolds Field surface with a new all-artificial turf field being installed this summer. The Minnesota Morris series is the second-to-last home series for Northwestern that will be played at the current Reynolds Field.

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