BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – The University of Southern Maine, recent winner of the Northeast Regional baseball crown at Portland, will open NCAA Division III College World Series action Thursday against Simpson College of Indianola, Iowa.

The game is set for 3:30 p.m. at C.O. Brown Field here and will be the second game of a three-game opening day for the Div. III finalists. Methodist of North Carolina opens the action at 11:30 a.m. against Cal State-San Bernardino.

The day’s third game, at 7:30 p.m., matches Marietta, Ohio, and Wisconsin-Oshkosh. The final first-round game will take place Friday morning as Ithaca (N.Y.) College faces Trenton (N.J) State.

Coach Ed Flaherty’s Huskies will bring a 34-6 mark against Simpson’s 28-4 ledger. Starting pitcher for USM is likely to be Husky ace Bobby Aceto, 9-1 with a 2.31 ERA. Mike Welch (1-1, 5 saves) will be ready if a closer is needed.

Bob Prince has been the leading hitter for Southern Maine with a .496 average and 6 home runs; Mark Caron is hitting .407, Jim Broughton and Rick York. 400 and Jon Collins .379.