The Kent State baseball and softball teams get to work defending titles this weekend after successful 2004 campaigns.

The 2004 Mid-American Conference tournament champion men’s baseball team will take the field in a three-game series against Louisville today, tomorrow and Sunday. The series will mark the debut of new Kent State coach Scott Stricklin, who previously served as an assistant at Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt. Former Kent State coach Rick Rembielak was hired as Wake Forest’s coach in June after a 36-27 season.

The softball team begins its season with two games tomorrow against Temple and Charlotte in the Green and White tournament in Charlotte, N.C. The softball team was picked to finish third in the MAC East, according to the MAC Coaches’ Poll after winning the MAC East last year.

The softball team doesn’t kick off its home schedule until March 25 against Miami, while the baseball team plays Ohio April 1.

— Matt Peters