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| By Chad Hensley, NKU Sports Information LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Northern Kentucky University went into this weekend’s four game series with Bellarmine University needing to win three out of four to stay close to Saint Joseph’s College in the battle for first place in the Great Lakes Valley Conference East Division. After dropping both games yesterday to the Knights, NKU then needed a sweep today just to stay in front of BU for second place. Two 3-2 decisions for Bellarmine dropped NKU into 3rd place as the Knights took over second by themselves. Game 1 was scheduled for seven innings but went into the ninth before BU pushed across the game-winning run. A Cameron Howell bases-loaded single up the middle off NKU reliever Matt Winterhalter scored Patrick Brady. Earlier in the game, NKU had leads of 1-0 in the second inning and 2-1 in the fifth inning before giving up single runs in the bottom of the fifth and ninth. NKU’s first lead of the game came courtesy of a Kevin Dusold lead-off rocket shot over the left-field fence. The home run was Dusold’s fourth of the season. BU (26-15, 16-6) tied the game in the bottom the third off NKU (24-19, 15-8) starting pitcher Dave Middendorf, but the Norse answered in the top of the fifth when Jeff Bohlen plated Jon Back with a single to left. Back had doubled to left-center with two outs to set up Bohlen’s RBI. The Knights then answered in the bottom half of the fifth when Ben White scored on an Evan McDole throwing error. McDole had fielded a grounder off the bat of Chris Wiedmar and decided to go for the force out at third base but his throw was just out of the reach of Patrick Muth. NKU squandered scoring chances in each of the two extra innings by grounding into inning-ending double-plays. Middendorf went seven innings for the Norse giving up two runs – one earned – on seven hits to go along with no walks and seven strikeouts. Winterhalter (2-2) took the loss in relief going 1 1/3 innings and giving up one run on one hit coupled with two walks and three strikeouts. Alex Kuebbing took the win in relief of Knights starter Nate Nevin. Kuebbing (2-2) went three innings while giving up three hits and walking three. Bohlen got NKU off to a promising start in the top of the first in Game 2 as he sent a Robbie Reeves pitch over the fence for his first collegiate home run. The lead wouldn’t
last long as the Knights plated a run in the
bottom of the first on an RBI groundout. The Norse had one last chance to score in the bottom of the seventh when Patrick Muth singled with two outs and advanced to second on a passed ball. Reeves then got Back to fly out to center field to end the series. Reeves (4-3) went the distance giving up two earned runs on five hits while walking one and striking out three. Braeckel (2-4) also went the distance giving up three runs – two earned – on five hits coupled with two walks and four strikeouts. The Norse will now entertain the Wilmington (Ohio) Quakers in non-conference action Wednesday at Champion Window Field in Florence, Ky., for a single evening game scheduled to start at 6 p.m. NKU will then host Wisconsin-Parkside next weekend in a four-game series at Champion Window Field. It will also mark the final weekend home games for five Norse seniors – Back, Brad Johnson, Drew Rushing, Brian DeCarlo, and Cameron Betourne. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. EDT each day. |