MOREHEAD, Ky. – After weeks of facing off against one another, Morehead State baseball is set to take the field against some new faces at the Swig and Swine College Classic in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. The four-game event will take place at Shipyard Park, a new 20-acre baseball complex overlooking Charleston's Wando River.

The three-team event includes UMass Lowell from the America East Conference and Ball State from the Mid-American Conference. The Eagles will face UMass Lowell Friday (4 p.m. ET) and Saturday (2 p.m.) while taking on Ball State Saturday (11 a.m.) and Sunday (11:30 a.m.).

Morehead State enters the 2018 season coming off a 36-23 (18-11 OVC) season that saw the Eagles claim the second seed in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. The Eagles return 2017 OVC co-Player of the Year Niko Hulsizer, who set the MSU and OVC record for home runs (27) and total bases (193). The junior outfielder also set the MSU record for RBI (82) while becoming the first player in program history to hit 20 doubles and 20 home runs in a season.

In addition to Hulsizer, the Eagles also return six other regulars, led by senior infielder Eli Boggess. Boggess represents the nation's leading returning hitter, having batted .425 in 2017. Other returning regulars include seniors Braxton Morris and Tyler Niemann and juniors Hunter Fain, Reid Leonard, and Trevor Snyder.

On the mound, the Eagles return two pitchers from last season's weekend rotation in sophomore right-hander Jake Ziegelmeyer (5-1, 6.21 ERA) and redshirt sophomore left-hander Dalton Stambaugh (3-5, 7.40). The duo is slated to start the Eagles' first two games with Ziegelmeyer facing UMass Lowell and Stambaugh facing Ball State. The pair will be joined in the weekend rotation by right-handers David Calderon (Saturday) and Jason Goe (Sunday).

UMass Lowell finished the 2017 season 22-26 overall and 10-13 in the America East. The two games with the Riverhawks will mark the first meetings between the two programs. Ken Harring is entering his 14th season leading UMass Lowell.

Ball State concluded last season 30-28 overall and 14-10 in MAC play. The Eagles trail the all-time series with the Cardinals 3-0, with all three previous meetings played at Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C. Rich Maloney is entering his sixth season of his second stint at Ball State and 13th season overall at Ball State.

All four games will feature free live audio broadcasts on MSUEagles.com. Each broadcast will begin approximately 15 minutes prior to each contest. Live updates will also be available through Twitter (@MSUEagles and @MSUEaglesLive) and Facebook (MSUEagles).

GAME NOTES
NEW FOE
Morehead State has not faced UMass Lowell in program history. Additionally, the Eagles have not faced a team from the America East in its history.

DOWN SOUTH
Morehead State owns an 0-3 record against MAC foe Ball State. All three previous games were played at Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C., in 2013 and 2014.

GOLDEN BOY
Junior outfielder Niko Hulsizer was named to USA Baseball's 55-player Preseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List. USA Baseball has honored the nation's top amateur baseball player with the presentation of the Golden Spikes award since 1978. The award is presented to the player who exhibits exceptional athletic ability and exemplary sportsmanship.

WE HAVE A HULK
Hulsizer was named the 2018 Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Player of the Year by conference coaches and sports information directors. The 2017 OVC co-Player of the Year established Morehead State and OVC records for home runs (27) and total bases (193), while his 27 homers and 21 doubles made him the first player with at least 20 homers and 20 doubles in a season.

AHEAD OF THE PACK
With 106 wins the past three seasons, Morehead State has outpaced the rest of the OVC in the win column. During that span, the Eagles claimed 55 conference victories and established the program single-season wins record with 38 wins by the 2015 OVC Championship team.

PRESEASON PRESS
Morehead State has received numerous preseason media accolades, including selection as preseason conference champion by Collegiate Baseball and D1Baseball.com. Niko Hulsizer has been named to six preseason All-American teams (Collegiate Baseball, Perfect Game/Rawlings, D1Baseball.com, Athlon Sports, Street and Smith's, and NCBWA) while senior infielder Braxton Morris and junior Reid Leonard were selected by Collegiate Baseball.

ROUND TRIPPIN'
Morehead State was one of four Division I programs to hit eight or more home runs in a game in 2017. The Eagles accomplished the feat on April 15 vs. SIU Edwardsville with seven Eagles homering en route to a 28-15 victory.

JOINING THE CLUB
Senior infielder Eli Boggess' six hits vs. UMass on April 2 made him one of 11 Division I players to register a six-hit performance in 2017 and the fourth player in program history to accomplish the feat, joining Val Falcone (1971), Brad Hart (1992), and Jesus Carrera (2016).

NATION'S BEST SLUGGER
Niko Hulsizer captured the 2017 College Home Run Derby title at Omaha's TD Ameritrade Park by out-slugging Alabama's Chandler Taylor in the final round. Hulsizer outlasted a field that included Taylor, Kentucky's Tristan Pompey, Vanderbilt's Julian Infante, Clemson's Logan Davidson, and Duke's Griffin Conine.

NATION'S LEADING OFFENSE
Morehead State finished the 2017 season leading the NCAA in a number of offensive categories. The Eagles claimed statistical championships in scoring (8.9 runs/game), on-base percentage (.425), and hits (729). In addition to leading in the three categories, the Eagles were second in batting average (.332) and runs (525) and third in slugging percentage (.519).

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL IS CALLING
With the 168th overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft the San Diego Padres selected Morehead State southpaw Aaron Leasher with their sixth round pick. The selection marked the sixth MLB Draft selection from Morehead State under head coach Mike McGuire joining Matt Anderson (Pirates, 2016), Tyler Keele (Diamondbacks, 2016), Patrick McGuff (Twins, 2016), Kane Sweeney (Yankees, 2015), and Brandon Rawe (Marlins, 2015). Overall, 30 players have been selected in the MLB Draft from Morehead State.

SEPTEMBER CALL-UP
Former Morehead State catcher Taylor Davis received a September call-up from the Chicago Cubs last season, making his Major League debut on Sept. 8 versus the Milwaukee Brewers as a pinch-hitter. He earned his first start on Sept. 14 versus the New York Mets. Davis also became a viral sensation when a video chronicling his affinity for staring down broadcast cameras circulated last August.