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By Mike Anderson, NKU Sports Information TAMPA, Fla. - The Northern Kentucky University baseball team saw first hand the effects of one of baseball's most overused cliches: “He can change the game with one swing of the bat.” As reserve catcher Garrett Maines stepped to the plate in the bottom of the eighth for the University of Tampa, he didn't expect to be the difference maker, but, indeed, with one swing of the bat, he turned a promising 4-2 NKU win into a 6-4 Tampa triumph in the final game of the weekend series. The Norse got on the board early once again as Evan McDole singled to right field to score Jon Back, who led off the game with a base hit up the middle. NKU Pre-season All-American Jake Shaffer played a huge role in the game for the Norse from the very start, when he made a leaping grab on a tough gapper by Nolan Brannon to end the first inning. After the first, Tampa pitcher Josh Bowman settled down, striking out four of the next six Norse batters, including Shaffer, who managed to reach third base when catcher Leo Alvarez threw the ball well into right field after dropping strike three. Jason Cisper then stepped up to lace a pitch to shortstop. Jesus Barroso fielded and threw over to first, but short-hopped his teammate Jose Jiminez to allow Cisper to reach safely and Shaffer to extend the lead to 2-0. Jeff Bohlen added one more to the runs column in the fourth by lacing a two-out RBI single to left field to plate Drew Rushing, who had reached on a throwing error earlier in the frame. Shaffer would repeat the performance in the fifth inning, though this time only reaching first on another Alvarez throwing error before being stranded to end the inning. Meanwhile, the NKU defense was stellar, turning double plays in the second, third and fourth innings to keep the Spartans off the scoreboard. NKU pitcher Ryan Schmidt was solid through five innings, but started to run into trouble later in the game. The bottom of the sixth was eventful, with walks to Tampa's Junior Mejia and Jose Jimenez setting up a bit of a jam, but Schmidt was able to get Ryan Williams to tap a nubber back to the mound to send the Norse back to the dugout. Shaffer would respond in the next half-inning by taking a 1-0 pitch from reliever Daniel Keefe over the right field wall for his first home run of the season and extend the lead to four. Things got sketchy in the bottom half of the seventh with Maines getting a one-out “Texas-league” double on a lofting ball to shallow right field that fell between second baseman Kevin Dusold and right fielder Jack Ambrose. Back came over from short to cover a similar ball from Jared Simon to get the second out of the inning before committing NKU's first error of the game, losing a bouncing ball in his chest to allow pinch hitter Paul Cruz to reach safely and give UT runners at the corners. Back redeemed himself on the very next play, though, as Mejia's comebacker glanced off Schmidt's glove and over to Back, who stepped on second to end the inning. Back-to-back-to-back base hits by the Spartans in the bottom of the eighth spelled the end of Schmidt's shutout bid and his day, bringing Eric Braeckel to the mound. The junior's first pitch landed squarely in the back of Williams to load the bases and signaled an ill omen. Braeckel struggled to control his pitches as a wild pitch during Jimenez's plate appearance, followed by a walk, brought the lead down to two runs and loaded the bases once again for Maines' fateful long ball. Braeckel was
able to work a 2-2 count before the sophomore transfer from Auburn
uncorked
a bomb
over the left
field fence to bring
the Spartans from a two-run deficit to
a two-run lead with just three outs to defend.
That brought
on NKU's
Dave Middendorf
to
retire the next three Spartan batters and
end the eighth. Bowman struck out seven Norse in his start and did not factor in the decision. Nate Titus (1-0) got the win for Tampa by working a scoreless eighth inning. Back went 2-for-5 with a run scored to lead the Norse offense. Braeckel (0-2) took the loss, facing three batters in the eighth inning. Schmidt pitched seven strong with one strikeout in the start. Northern Kentucky has yet to find the win column this season, now standing at 0-5. Tampa moves to 13-2-1 on the year. NKU will hit the road once again to face Salem University in a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. |
