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FLORENCE, Ky. - Northern Kentucky University used a pair of big innings to coast past Rockhurst, 11-1, Saturday night in the first game of a doubleheader at Champion Window Field. NKU scored five times in the first inning and later added six runs in the sixth to roll to the Great Lakes Valley Conference victory. The Norse bunched together six consecutive hits in the first inning to score five times. Evan McDole’s two-run double highlighted the first inning for NKU. That was all the run support NKU starter Matt Marksbury would need Saturday. The senior right-hander scattered six hits and one run in six innings of work to remain unbeaten (7-0) this season. He struck out three batters and allowed no walks before being lifted following a 61-minute rain delay. McDole and Kevin Dusold each collected two hits and two RBI for the Norse, who finished with 13 hits as a team. Jon Back added a three-run double for NKU in the sixth inning, while teammate Jake Shaffer was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Shaffer tied a school record with five hits in the nightcap as NKU completed the sweep with a 13-2 win. Shaffer, a sophomore outfielder from Athol, Mass., was 5-for-5 and scored two runs for the Norse. Sophomore catcher Larry Pempek was 3-for-3 and drove in four runs to lead the NKU offense. NKU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning behind an RBI double by Pempek and a run-scoring single by Kenny Wilson. Pempek's two-run double in the fourth inning gave NKU a 6-0 advantage, and the Norse coasted to the win behind the pitching of left-hander Josh Bruns. Bruns, a senior from Versailles, Ohio, struck out eight batters and evened his record at 4-4 this season. He pitched six innings and held Rockhurst to one run and four hits. The Norse are 24-21 overall, 20-11 in the GLVC. NKU and Rockhurst will complete the three-game series Sunday at noon.
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