Josh Bruns

FLORENCE, Ky. - Josh Bruns came out of the bullpen to pitch 2 2/3 innings of perfect relief to help secure Northern Kentucky University’s 2-1 victory against Quincy in the second game of the doubleheader on Sunday at Champion Window Field.

Bruns picked up the save while collecting five strikeouts. The junior left-hander picked up a key strikeout in the top of the seventh inning as the Norse escaped from a one-out, bases-loaded jam without surrendering a run.

Bruns struck out the side in the ninth inning as NKU - ranked 27th nationally in the Division II poll - defeated Quincy for the third time in the four-game series.

Greg Moss replaced starter Matt Winterhalter in the sixth inning and recorded the win to improve to 3-1 for the season. Winterhalter went 5 2/3 innings and gave up four hits and an earned run.

NKU, which improved to 26-11-1 overall and 24-7-1 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning and added the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth.

Nick D’Ippolito started the winning rally with a one-out single, and Josh Moulton was inserted as a pinch-runner. Kenny Wilson laid down a sacrifice bunt, which advanced Moulton to second base.

Quincy brought in Robby Young to relieve starter Greg Dowdall, and Kory Lonergan greeted Young with a double that drove in Moulton with the go-ahead run.

Matt Jones led the Norse offense by going 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Lonergan went 2-for-4 with the game-winning hit.

Quincy (21-12 overall, 19-9 in the GLVC) avoided the weekend sweep with a 4-1 win over NKU in the first game of the day.

The Hawks took a 1-0 lead in the second inning and added two in the sixth before the Norse got on the board. Quincy added an insurance run in the seventh and held on for the victory.

Nick Dunning pitched the complete game, allowing one earned run and recording five strikeouts. Travis Cooley went 3-for-4 and scored twice to lead the Hawks. Mark Taylor and Chris Scoggins both went 2-for-3.

NKU will host a doubleheader against Kentucky Wesleyan at Champion Window Field at 2 p.m. Tuesday.

GAME 1 BOX SCORE

GAME 2 BOX SCORE