Jon Back leads off first base against SIUE

ALLENDALE, Mich. - Missed opportunities.

Northern Kentucky University had plenty of chances against Southern Illinois at Edwardsville in the first round of the NCAA Division II North Central Regional on Thursday. NKU, however, could not produce the big hit with runners in scoring position and dropped a 2-0 decision to SIUE at the Grand Valley State Baseball Field.

Playing from behind the entire game, NKU appeared to have finally put itself in position for a big inning during the bottom of the ninth. SIUE reliever Patrick Keller started the inning by allowing a walk to Josh Moulton, and Chris Nann followed with a single.

Keller was relieved by Adam Schneider, who fielded a bunt attempt by pinch-hitter Brian DeCarlo. Schneider’s throw was high and pulled first baseman Nathan Doty off the bag for an error, loading the bases with no outs.

Schneider responded by getting Jon Back to strike out on a 3-2 breaking ball for the first out. He then struck out Kory Lonergan looking for the second out, bringing Matt Jones to the plate.

Jones hit a grounder up the middle that second baseman Michael DalPozzo fielded and flipped to shortstop Cory Bunner to force DeCarlo for the final out. Schneider picked up his eighth save of the season by working out of a bases-loaded jam and retiring three straight batters without surrendering a run.

NKU (42-19-1) finished 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, including 0-for-4 with the bases loaded. The second-seeded Norse managed six hits and also drew seven walks.

Paul David Patterson went 7 1/3 innings

SIUE (39-17-1) stranded 10 runners on base, but the fifth-seeded Cougars used a run-scoring single by Jake Smith in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead off NKU starter Paul David Patterson. Ryan Czyz and Bunner hit back-to-back doubles in the fifth inning to give SIUE a 2-0 lead.

NKU threatened in the bottom of the sixth by loading the bases with two out, but Moulton grounded to third to end the rally.

SIUE starter Kyle Jones - featured in this week’s “Faces in the Crowd” section of Sports Illustrated after setting Division II national records for consecutive scoreless innings pitched and shutouts - went six scoreless innings and notched the win to improve to 11-1. Earlier this season, Jones tossed a no-hitter against NKU at Florence, Ky.

Patterson (5-4) worked 7 1/3 innings on the mound and struck out four batters. Nann went 3-for-4 for NKU, which will meet No. 6 seed Rockhurst at 10 a.m. Friday in an elimination game. Rockhurst lost its first-round game, 2-0, to Grand Valley State on Thursday.

In the other first-round contest, Quincy posted a 5-3 victory over Ashland. The third-seeded Hawks will meet SIUE on Friday, while Ashland plays Grand Valley State.

NKU is ranked No. 25 nationally in the Division II poll. The Norse won the Great Lakes Valley Conference championship last week at Sauget, Ill.

BOX SCORE