---Jon Back stole his 76th career base on a 1-0 pitch to Kevin Dusold in the bottom of the seventh inning of Game 1. The Norse went on to win the game, 10-2.

By Tom Ramstetter, NKU Sports Information

FLORENCE, Ky. --- Northern Kentucky University shortstop Jon Back became the Norse’s all-time leader in stolen bases in a Game 1 rout for NKU and the Norse rallied in the bottom of the sixth inning in Game 2 to sweep a doubleheader from visiting Indianapolis Saturday at Champion Window Field.

NKU has won 12 straight after the 10-2 and 6-5 decisions.

Back stole second base in the bottom of the seventh in the first game for his 76th career stolen base, passing Mike Roe’s (1980-82) total of 75 and the Norse cruised to a 10-2 win. It was the fifth straight game the Norse had scored in double-digits and the ninth time in the previous 10 tilts NKU had scored at least 10.

In Game 2, second baseman Jeff Bohlen singled in Jack Ambrose with the tying run in the bottom of the sixth, advanced to second on the throw home, and came around to score the go-ahead run when Indianapolis third baseman Tim Anderson threw the ball into center field for an error.

Evan McDole started the sixth-inning rally by being hit by a pitch and advancing on a balk by reliever Chris Saroff on his first pitch. McDole went to third on Ambrose’s single and came in to score on a sacrifice fly by Jason Cisper, setting up Bohlen’s game-changing hit.

An inning earlier, the Greyhounds took their first lead of the day at 5-3 when Justin Russell hit a three-run inside-the-park home run into the left-center field gap. Russell was the first batter Norse reliever Matt Winterhalter and eventual winning-pitcher faced in relief of starter Brandon Slusher.

The Norse led Game 2 early when Kevin Dusold blasted a first-inning triple off the wall in center field to drive in Jake Shaffer. Dusold then scored on a pass ball.

The Greyhounds tied the score in the third on a two-run triple off the bat of catcher Seth Paul. The Norse retook the lead in the fifth when Shaffer’s single to right-center drove in Bohlen for a 3-2 lead.

The Norse also had the bats working early in Game 1, taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning off RBIs by McDole and catcher Larry Pempek. Back added a two-out RBI-single in the second inning for a 3-0 lead. Paul hit a two-run home run to left-center in the fourth to draw the Greyhounds within a run, but the Norse scored seven unanswered to cruise.

Bohlen had and RBI-double in the fourth and Shaffer’s sacrifice fly in the sixth made the score 5-2.
NKU erupted for five runs in the seventh to blow the game open. Ambrose had a two-run single, Cisper lifted a sacrifice fly, and Shaffer added a two-run single.

Left-hander Ryan Schmidt got the Game 1 win, hurling seven and a third innings while scattering four hits and yielding just two unearned runs.

Game 1 was twice delayed momentarily when Indianapolis manager Gary Vaught complained about NKU players charting pitch speeds from the stands behind the plate.

NKU is now 23-13 overall, 14-3 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Indianapolis fell to 22-15, 9-9. The two schools will meet again Sunday in a doubleheader at Champion Window Field. First pitch is scheduled for noon.

GAME 1 BOX SCORE

GAME 2 BOX SCORE