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By Mike Anderson, NKU Sports Information ROMEOVILLE, Ill. -– Any concerns that Northern Kentucky baseball coach Todd Asalon had about his team after Game 1 or 2 should have faded far from view after witnessing Games 31 and 32 on Sunday. The Norse pounded out 23 hits and scored 20 runs en route to a 10-2, 10-0 doubleheader sweep of Great Lakes Valley Conference foe Lewis. After the Flyers used back-to-back base hits to score the game's first run in the bottom of the first inning of Game 1, the Norse got on the board with a pair in the top of the second, with Jason Cisper belting an RBI-single to right and Drew Rushing grounding into a double play that scored Larry Pempek. Lewis got another in the bottom of the second to level the score at two, but it was the last time the Flyers would come close to the lead. NKU opened the third inning with back-to-back singles by Pat Muth and Jack Ambrose. After Jon Back reached on an errant throw by pitcher Ryan Duran, Kevin Dusold drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in a run. Evan McDole followed that with a two-run single. Pempek sacrificed himself to get runners to second and third before Duran's wild pitch allowed Dusold to score and Cisper was able to sacrifice McDole home to make a five-run third inning for the Norse. The Norse got three more in the fifth inning, with Cisper claiming two more RBIs on a double to left. Muth also added an RBI-single. All told, Cisper was 2-for-3 with four RBIs and a run scored. Muth and Ambrose each went 2-for-4 on the game and each scored a run. Dave Middendorf (2-1) struck out seven Flyers en route to the win in Game 1, with Andy Karpowicz pitching a scoreless seventh inning to preserve the victory. The Norse opened
Game 2 with three straight base hits, as Muth and Ambrose each
singled before
Jon
Back cranked
his
fifth
home run of the season over the left field wall
for the early advantage.
NKU got three more runs in the third when Tim Harmatys
balked in a run before giving up a two-run double
to Aaron Mentz. Eric Braeckel (2-2), tabbed early in the season as the NKU closer, claimed the shutout with six strikeouts and just four hits allowed. Northern Kentucky (19-13, 12-3 GLVC) has won its last eight games and 11 of its last 12. The Norse now stand just a half-game back of Bellarmine and Saint Joseph’s for the GLVC East Division lead. The Norse return to action Tuesday afternoon, hosting in-state foe Kentucky State for a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Champion Window Field. |
