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By Chad Hensley, NKU Sports Information NASHVILLE, Tenn. - In baseball, all it takes is one inning to change the outcome of a game. This held true for the Northern Kentucky University baseball team as the Norse were swept in a doubleheader by Grand Valley State, 7-2 and 7-6 on Saturday. NKU’s runs were plated in the fourth and fifth innings in the opener. In the fourth, designated hitter Kevin Dusold, an Oak Hills graduate and transfer from St. Catherine College, singled to left field and later scored when center fielder Jim Volpe punched an RBI single to center. Matt Wagers’ RBI single with two out in the bottom of the fifth drove in Jake Shaffer. That was all the Norse could muster off Grand Valley starter Vince Rizzi (1-0), who finished the day with 4 2/3 innings pitched, two runs, one earned run, and one strikeout. Game two saw the Norse get off to a good start as Shaffer and Dusold continued to swing hot bats. Dusold’s RBI single to right-center scored Shaffer, who had led off the game with a single. Then in the fifth inning, trailing by a score of 3-1, Jon Back scored on by Kory Lonergan RBI single to cut the lead to 3-2. NKU would take the lead in the top of the sixth. With two outs, senior Chris Nann powered a home run to right field through a strong wind off reliever Matt Huml to tie the game at 3-all. The solo shot was Nann’s first home run of the season. Volpe singled and later scored from second on a Larry Pempek double. Pempek scored as Shaffer blasted a pitch deep into center field. The speedy Shaffer saw the play develop in front of him and was given the signal to score for the potential inside-the-park home run. Two great relays gunned down Shaffer, who looked like he was going to easily score. The rally ended with the Norse leading by a score of 6-3. Starting pitcher Nathan Jones, a graduate of Pendleton County High School, pitched what has to be the best start by a Norse starter of the season. The 6-foot-5 junior right-hander looked strong (92-93 mph fastball) during the game. It wasn’t until the bottom of the seventh that fatigue started to set in as his pitch count went over 100 for the afternoon. Jones ended the day with 6 1/3 innings pitched, five hits, five runs all of which were earned, six walks and nine strikeouts. After VanStreain’s single put runners on first and second, Jones was pulled in favor of the hard-throwing senior lefty, Josh Bruns. With a 0-2 count on his first batter, Bruns (0-2) plunked Spud McKenzie on an inside pitch. Following Smith’s RBI walk, Derek Hinke stepped to the plate with the chance to be the hero for the Lakers. Hinke didn’t disappoint head coach Steve Lyon as he proceeded to send a thundering blast over the head of Shaffer in left field. The walk-off double cleared the bases with Smith sliding into home just before the relay throw reached the catcher for the deciding run. With the sweep on the day, GVSU opened the season with a 2-0 record while the Norse fell to 1-6. NKU will next be in action on March 3rd as the Norse travel to Florida for their spring break trip. NKU faces Florida Southern in three games (March 3-4), defending NCAA Division II national champion Tampa in a single game (March 5), and GLVC rival Missouri-St. Louis for three games to start the conference season (March 9-10). |