Matt Marksbury

ROLLA, Mo. - Matt Marksbury threw a one-hitter in the opener Sunday as Northern Kentucky University posted a 1-0 win over Missouri-Rolla.

Conor McGeehan hit a run-scoring double in the fourth inning for the Norse, and that was all the offense NKU needed. Marksbury, a junior right-hander, struck out seven and walked just one to improve to 6-2 this season.

Marksbury retired the final 11 batters he faced, and he struck out Colby Wilson swinging to end the game. It was his second shutout of the season and fourth complete game.

Missouri-Rolla’s Stephen Hiatt allowed just three hits and finished with six strikeouts.

The second game turned into a pitching dual between Missouri-Rolla’s Tavish Hill and NKU’s Brian Beltz, with each hurler holding the other side scoreless through nine innings. The Norse finally pushed across the winning run on a fielder’s choice by Matt Jones in the 11th inning for a 1-0 victory.

Steve Thomas pitched two scoreless inning in relief to get the win. Thomas and Beltz combined for nine strikeouts as the NKU pitching staff notched its third straight shutout.

NKU improved to 38-17-1 overall, 36-11-1 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Norse clinched the GLVC regular-season title Saturday with a pair of wins against Missouri-Rolla.

NKU is the No. 1 seed in the GLVC Tournament, which begins Thursday at Sauget, Ill. The Norse will meet No. 6 seed Indianapolis in the first round at 2 p.m. (EDT).

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.

GLVC TOURNAMENT BRACKET

GAME 1 BOX SCORE

GAME 2 BOX SCORE