DeKALB | First dates are tough.

Proper etiquette concerns are in abundance: Did I eat too fast, talk too much or not hold the door?

Featuring a roster stacked with transfer students and underclassmen, the 2006 baseball season was one of those up and down kind of first meetings for NIU head coach Ed Mathey.

NIU started the season 4-13, then rebounded to reach .500 by April 26, when it was 20-20. The effort proved futile, as the Huskies sputtered to the finish line, dropping their final 11 MAC games to finish with a 24-31 record.

The Huskies will open the 2007 campaign this weekend in Lubbock, Texas for a three-game series with Texas Tech (7-3).

“Our guys got a lot of experience last year,” Mathey said. “The group knew their shortcomings and what to work on. We came back from break in the best shape of any team I’ve been with.”

A brutally harsh winter hasn’t allowed NIU to practice outside, a first for senior first baseman Scott Simon.

“The timing is the big difference,” NIU’s all-time hits leader said. “On an artificial surface, the ball gives a perfect bounce every time, but our guys have worked hard given the situation.”

Simon, on the Wallace Watch list for player of the year, agreed with Mathey that the team committed to offseason open hitting and weight training like never before.

The opening weekend pitching rotation is set for NIU. Junior Trevor Feeney will get the starting nod on opening day and will be followed in the second game by sophomore lefty Brandon Copp. Finally, senior right-hander Mark Badgley will transition from a successful stint in the bullpen to round out the starting rotation.

At the tail end of what should be a deep bullpen is Matt German, projected by Collegiate Baseball to be the MAC pitcher of the year.

The senior left-hander racked up 11 saves last year, posting a near-perfect 0.49 ERA.

The Red Raiders have already played 10 games, and unlike the Huskies, have been playing and practicing outside for an extended period of time.

With that in mind, German will measure success in terms of opportunity this weekend.

“Not looking at wins or losses,” German said. “To take two of three would be great, but we want to put ourselves in a position to win the game.”

The NIU softball team will travel to Santa Barbara, Calif. for the UCSB Tournament.

Sophomore outfielder Ashley Clement, the reigning MAC West Player of the Week leads NIU (1-2) into the three-day tournament.