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By Mike Anderson, NKU Sports Information HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University baseball team looks to maintain the momentum created in Springfield, Mo., as the Norse sally forth to Rolla for an Easter-weekend Great Lakes Valley Conference series against Missouri S&T. The Norse and Miners have doubleheaders scheduled Friday and Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. each day. The Norse (5-9, 2-1 GLVC) are coming off a strong showing at defending GLVC champion Drury, winning both games of Sunday’s doubleheader, 1-0 and 5-2. Ryan Schmidt used a two-hit shutout performance to take Game 1. Evan McDole went 2-for-3 with an RBI to help spur the Norse to victory in Game 2. After a dismal 1-8 start, NKU has won four of its last five games. Missouri S&T (7-8, 2-2 GLVC) split a pair of doubleheaders against Indianapolis to open GLVC play last weekend. The Miners held off a late-inning comeback bid by the Greyhounds in Game 1 to take a 7-5 decision in Sunday’s action, but could not find the plate in Game 2, falling, 3-0, in the nine-inning contest. THE LAST TIME AGAINST S&T: It is rare that a team allows just one run in a doubleheader and only manages a split, but the Norse were counted among that number in 2007, losing a 1-0 decision in Game 1 before returning for a 4-0 win in Game 2. The Miners played spoiler on Senior Day in Game 3 of the series, overcoming a five-error performance to take a 4-3 win. PITCHER OF THE WEEK: Ryan Schmidt’s two-hit shutout against Drury on Sunday earned the sophomore GLVC Pitcher of the Week honors. Schmidt struck out six and walked just two en route to his first win of the season. His 1.12 earned run average leads all Norse starters. McDOLE MAKES A MARK: Sophomore first baseman Evan McDole has been strong at the plate thus far, leading the Norse in batting average (.375), on-base percentage (.480) and slugging percentage (.525). The Brossart High School graduate also stands atop the team with three doubles. BACK BEATS A PATH ON THE BASES: Jon Back is anything but shy on the bases, already accumulating eight stolen bases on the young season. Back has 68 career stolen bases, putting him second all-time at NKU behind Mike Roe, who swiped 75 bags from 1980-82. SCHEDULE NOTE: Due to weather-related cancellations earlier in the season, NKU has added a single game on Wednesday, April 9, against Indiana-Southeast. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. |
