NKU’s Nick D’Ippolito

ROLLA, Mo. - The Northern Kentucky University baseball team clinched the Great Lakes Valley Conference’s regular-season title Saturday by sweeping a doubleheader from Missouri-Rolla.

In the opener, NKU posted a 3-2 victory over Missouri-Rolla in nine innings. The Norse later wrapped up the GLVC regular-season crown with a 4-0 win in the nightcap.

Nick D’Ippolito doubled in Jim Volpe with the go-ahead run in the ninth inning of the first game. Volpe reached on an error, stole second base and scored on D’Ippolito’s double down the left-field line.

Steve Thomas retired Missouri-Rolla in order in the bottom of the inning to record his 10th save of the season. Greg Moss pitched 5 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to get the victory for NKU.

In the second game, junior left-hander Josh Bruns tossed a three-hit shutout as NKU clinched the GLVC title with a 4-0 win. Bruns struck out six batters and improved to 7-1.

D’Ippolito again provided a key hit late in the game by hammering his first home run of the season over the fence in left-center with a runner aboard to extend NKU’s lead to 4-0 lead in the top of the seventh. Earlier in the inning, Matt Wagers drove in Conor McGeehan with an RBI double.

NKU improved to 36-17-1 overall, 34-11-1 in the GLVC. The Norse will be the No. 1 seed in next week’s GLVC Tournament at Sauget, Ill.

NKU has won the GLVC Tournament in the last two even-numbered years, 2002 and ’04.

The Norse are ranked No. 3 in the latest NCAA Division II North Central Region ratings and 23rd nationally in the Division II poll. NKU and Missouri-Rolla will conclude the regular season at noon Sunday with a doubleheader.

GAME 1 BOX SCORE

GAME 2 BOX SCORE