---Shannon McCormick

By Mike Anderson, NKU Sports Information

Game 1 box score | Game 2 box score

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Northern Kentucky University baseball team is still searching for its first win in Great Lakes Valley Conference play after dropping a pair of close games at cross-division foe Drury, 3-1 and 8-7.

R.J. Knese, as he did in yesterday’s single game, got the scoring started for Drury (11-8, 3-0 GLVC) in Game 1, with a two-run single to center field in the bottom of the third inning. NKU responded in the fourth after Evan McDole hit a double to the wall in right field. Walks to Kevin Dusold and Jack Ambrose loaded the bases for Jason Cisper’s sacrifice fly to center field, scoring McDole and cutting the lead to one.

The double was one of just two hits the Norse would muster as the Panther pitching.

Joel Potts took the run back in the sixth inning with an RBI-single to left to score Dane Hughes for the final score.

Dave Middendorf (0-1) took the loss for NKU, giving up eight hits and three runs while striking out five in 5 2/3 innings of work. Chris Barratt (2-1) claimed the win in the start for Drury with five walks and four strikeouts in five innings. Zane Montgomery got the final two outs for his third save of the season.

Brandon Slusher struggled to start Game 2 for the Norse, surrendering four runs to the Panthers without retiring a batter to put the Norse in an early hole. The Panthers would add another in the second after Joe Rohlfing tripled and scored on a groundout by Tyler Goss.

NKU got a run back in third inning on a sacrifice fly by Brett Hofmann to score Shannon McCormick. The Panthers had an answer in the bottom half of the frame when Tyler Wright scored on a misplay by Hofmann.

The Norse got their bats working in the fourth inning, getting RBI-singles from Cisper, McCormick and Brian Erie to cut the deficit to two, and claimed the lead in the fifth on RBI-doubles from McDole and Cisper and a sacrifice fly by McCormick.

Knese claimed his second triple of the day in the bottom of the sixth inning to spell the end of the day for pitcher Kevin Jordan, who came in to relieve Slusher after his early struggles. As soon as Rohlfing grounded out to score Knese and tie the game, Goss untied it with a solo shot to left field.

Dusold’s leadoff single in the seventh was erased one batter later when McDole lined into a double play, killing NKU’s comeback bid.

Matt Winterhalter (2-1) took the loss in the blown save, striking out one. Jordan struck out four in 5 1/3 innings of relief for the Norse.

Sam Pirtle (2-1) pitched 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to claim the win for Drury, while Montgomery pitches a scoreless seventh for his second save of the day and fourth of the season.

All nine NKU starters registered a hit in the game, totaling 13 as a team. McDole, Cisper, Erie and Jeff Bohlen each claimed two-hit games.

Northern Kentucky (10-8, 0-3 GLVC) will look to snap its three game skid and salvage a game in the series when the teams meet for a Sunday matinee. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.