RICHMOND, Ky. - Coach Jim Ward's Eastern Kentucky University baseball team opens its 1999 schedule this weekend with a three-game series with Furman University in Greenville, SC. The Colonels and Paladins play two games Saturday and a single game Sunday.

EKU, picked to finish third in this year's Ohio Valley Conference race in a pre-season poll by the league's head baseball coaches, returns seven position starters from last year's Colonel team that finished with a 24-29-1 record and in third place in the OVC Tournament.

"We're going to be better this year. How much better, we'll just have to wait and see," said Ward. "We feel good about our returning players, about the addition of an outstanding freshman shortstop and about an improved pitching staff. Our team has been able to get in some good days of practice outside and that should help us in the early part of our schedule."

Leading the Colonels in '99 will be three returning All-OVC first team players and one honorable mention all-conference pitcher. Heading the list of all-conference players is senior rightfielder Sean Murray (.402, 16 HR's, 48 RBI's). Murray also led the team in runs scored with 64 and had 16 doubles.

Other all-conference regulars back include junior third baseman Jason Sharp (.347-7-35) and senior catcher Joe Smith (.272-6-31). Other starters back are junior first baseman Lee Chapman (.333-14-52), junior second baseman Adam Basil (.321-11-40), senior designated hitter J.D. Bussell (.344-5-28) and junior centerfielder Brad Sizemore (.338-6-40).

Senior righthander Eric Bess, honorable mention All-OVC and GTE District IV Academic All-America selection in 1998, heads the Colonels' pitching staff. Bess was 9-4 in 15 appearances with a 6.27 earned run average last season.

Other returning pitchers this season include junior lefthander Corey Eagle (4-5, 6.11 ERA) and senior righthanded reliever Jason Estep (1-3, 9.10 ERA).

Murray, Basil and Eagle were chosen 1998 All-OVC Tournament.

Key newcomers to the 1999 roster are freshman shortstop Kiley Vaughn from Harrison County High School, redshirt freshman righthanded pitcher Spencer Boley, and freshmen righthanded hurlers Chip Albright and Scott Santa.

The Colonels' pitching rotation for the weekend series with Furman includes Eagle and Bess pitching the Saturday doubleheader and Albright, Boley and Santa splitting Sunday's game.

Eastern opens its 1999 home season Feb. 26 with a 3:00 p.m. contest at Turkey Hughes Field against Wright State University.