BAKERSFIELD, Calif.- The Bakersfield Roadrunners (8-11, 1-2 WAC) will play their second Western Athletic Conference home series this weekend as they host first-year WAC member North Dakota (2-10, 201 WAC) Friday through Sunday at Hardt Field.
Bakersfield won their first WAC game of the season last Friday night 4-3 over Grand Canyon before dropping the final two games of the series to the Antelopes. The Roadrunners bounced back by defeating Cal State Northridge in a non-conference game Tuesday afternoon in Northridge. In that game Bakersfield used a unique lineup featuring several players who earned their first starts of the season. CSUB was led at the plate by Andrew Lojewski (Jr., Woodland, Calif., American River CC) who hit a two-run homerun while Logan Trowbridge (Jr., Woodbridge, Va., Cypress College) also added an RBI triple as the 'Runners won their second game over the Matadors this season.
North Dakota meanwhile won their first two games of the season last weekend taking two of three from another first-year WAC member Utah Valley in Orem, Utah. UND lost the first game before bouncing back with a 10-1 win on Saturday and a 10-4 win on Sunday. North Dakota fell on Wednesday at UNLV 16-6 after giving up a pair of big innings to the Rebels.
North Dakota is in their first season as an affiliate member of the WAC after previously playing baseball in the Great West Conference.
The Roadrunners will send Taylor Aikenhead (Sr., Lancaster, Calif., Bakersfield College) to the mound on Friday night, Aikenhead was named WAC 'Pitcher of the Week' for his complete-game four-hitter he tossed last Friday in a 4-3 win over Grand Canyon. North Dakota third baseman Ryan Reese was named WAC 'Hitter of the Week' after going 6-for-12 at Utah Valley last weekend while driving in five runs.
Friday night's game will begin at 6 P.M. and the first 200 fans will receive a 2013 WAC Champion commemorative beverage koozie courtesy of Coca-Cola. Saturday's first pitch is also scheduled for 6 P.M. with the next set of player trading cards available for the first 100 fans.
Sunday's game will begin at 1 P.M. with $1 hot dogs all game long courtesy of Uncle's BBQ.
