Matt Marksbury

INDIANAPOLIS - In the opener, it was solid pitching that carried Northern Kentucky University past Indianapolis, 4-2. During the nightcap, clutch hitting late in the game keyed an 8-6 win for the Norse and gave NKU an important doubleheader sweep on the road.

Sophomore right-hander Matt Marksbury notched the complete-game victory in the opener. Marksbury, a graduate of Norwood High School, scattered five hits in seven innings and finished with two strikeouts.

Junior catcher Conor McGeehan blasted a solo home run in the second inning to tie the score at 1-1, and Jon Back gave NKU a 2-1 lead in the third inning with a run-scoring double to center field.

NKU added another run in the sixth inning when Back scored from second base after an Indianapolis throwing error.

With NKU holding a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh, Matt Jones doubled to lead off the inning. Brad Meyer’s single to left field drove in Jones with an insurance run, and Marksbury pitched a scoreless bottom of the seventh to close out the victory.

In the nightcap, Alex Frank went 4-for-5 with two doubles and a triple as NKU improved to 6-5 overall, 4-4 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Norse scored eight runs during the final three innings to erase a 4-0 deficit.

NKU snapped a 4-4 tie with four runs in the top of the ninth. Back’s two-run double gave NKU a 6-4 lead, and Frank later added an RBI triple to extend the Norse advantage to 8-4.

Indianapolis scored twice in the bottom of the ninth and had the bases loaded with two out, but Steve Thomas induced Kyle Stephenson to ground out to end the game. Thomas picked up the win in relief for NKU.

Kory Lonergan was 2-for-4 and scored two runs for NKU. Jones added two hits, and Keith Jackson had two RBI.

NKU will play a non-conference game at Xavier at 3 p.m. Wednesday in Cincinnati. The Norse will resume GLVC play at noon Saturday with a doubleheader against Wisconsin-Parkside at the Bill Aker Baseball Complex at Friendship Field.

The Norse will conclude that four-game series with a noon doubleheader on Sunday.