 |
By Chad Hensley, NKU Sports Information NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Northern Kentucky University baseball team opened its season with a doubleheader Saturday afternoon in Nashville, but the results were not music to head coach Todd Asalon’s ears. NKU lost both games of the 2008 GLIAC/GLVC Challenge held at Nashville’s Old Timers Field at Shelby Park. Game 1 saw 7th-ranked Grand Valley State jump out to an early 5-0 lead and eventually hold off a charging Norse squad 6-4 while Wayne (Mich.) State received a two-out single in the bottom of the 10th inning to defeat NKU, 2-1, in Game 2. GVSU defeated WSU in the first game of the day by a final of 5-2 in a non-conference game. In the first inning against Grand Valley State (2-0), Asalon’s club saw themselves having to come from behind before they knew what happened. Casey Robrahn’s one-out double to right-center field plated Pat Radde and then Eric Kruse’s hit to center field plated Robrahn in the top of the first for the Lakers. Kruse was credited with a double when second base was left unoccupied on the play. GVSU then scored three runs in the top of the fourth to extend its lead to 5-0 on doubles by Zach Laupp and Radde. Following Radde’s double, Asalon pulled starting pitcher Cameron Betourne, who was making his first appearance for the Norse after transferring from Vanderbilt University. Five of Grand Valley State's seven hits went for doubles. Larry Pempek got the ball rolling for the Norse in the bottom of the fifth as his RBI-single through the left side of the infield plated Jeff Bohlen. NKU was able to draw two runs closer in the bottom of seventh on a Kevin Dusold sacrifice fly. Bohlen scored the first run on the play and then Pempek scored as the relay throw from center field by the shortstop sailed into the Norse dugout. GVSU answered in the top of the eighth with a run-scoring fielder’s choice by Josh Hillyard. NKU wasn’t about to give up as they mounted a last-ditch effort to tie or win the game in the bottom of the ninth. Pempek, who finished the game going 3-for-4, started the inning with a single to left field and advanced to second on a balk by GVSU closing pitcher David Bowman. Senior second baseman Jon Back plated Pempek with a single to left to pull the Norse to within two runs. Later in the inning, Evan McDole kept the game going with a two-out single to right field. Jack Ambrose then grounded back to Bowman to end the threat and game. Game 2 saw the Norse bats go cold as Wayne State starting pitcher Dane Little took a no-hitter into the top of the ninth. WSU got on the scoreboard first with a run in the bottom of the third when Ryan LaPensee walked, stole second, and eventually scored on a Drew Churchward single through the left side of the infield off NKU starting pitcher Sean Munninghoff. Little allowed just four walks while striking out 10. Of the four Norse batters to reach base via a walk, none of them were able to reach third base. Little’s no-hitter was broken up by Dusold, who laced the first pitch of the ninth inning down the left-field line. Robby Foscarin was then brought in to relieve Little. Jake Shaffer proceeded to move Dusold into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. McDole then popped a Foscarin pitch foul to the catcher who recorded the second out of the inning. A chess game then ensued as right-handed pitcher Justin Mazur was brought in to face the right-handed hitting Jack Ambrose. Asalon then made a move to the bench to bring out Jason Cisper, a left-handed hitter. Cisper, who was 2-for-3 in the first game, played the role of hero for the Norse by sending a 2-2 pitch just past the glove of diving second baseman Matthew Williams to plate Dusold and tie the game. NKU (0-2) had a chance to put a run on the board in the top of the tenth when Pempek sent a double to deep center field. The chance to score was quickly squandered as Pempek tried to stretch the double into a triple and was gunned out to end the inning. The Warriors (1-1) then played what baseball purists call “small ball” to plate the deciding run. Tony Hines started the inning with a single to left-center off reliever Eric Braeckel. Hines was then bunted over to second base off Braeckel and moved to third on a ground out off reliever Kevin Jordan to set-up the final heroics by Williams. Williams then blasted a 2-2 pitch from Jordan into left field to bring in Hines to end the game. The Norse will be back in action Saturday and Sunday as they travel Tampa, Fla. to take on the University of Tampa in a three-game set. The Spartans, currently 10-2 on the season, are the two-time defending NCAA Division II national champions. Live stats will be provided on www.nkunorse.com. NKU will open GLVC play the following weekend when it travels to take on the Hawks of Quincy University and will begin the home portion of its schedule on March 12 with a doubleheader against Findlay. |
