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May 11, 2001 |
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NKU DEFEATS UW-PARKSIDE, 4-3 |
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Eschan’s RBI single gives NKU the victory in GLVC Tournament |
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EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Pat Eschan’s single with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning Friday drove in Matt Mason with the winning run as the Northern Kentucky University baseball team rallied to defeat the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, 4-3, in the second round of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament. Wisconsin-Parkside (38-18) took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning, but NKU’s Chris Osterkamp started the winning rally with a walk. Justin Rahschulte’s sacrifice advanced Osterkamp to second base, but Shaun Erie flied out for the second out. Matt Mason, however, was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second with two out. A wild pitch advanced both Osterkamp and Mason, and Wisconsin-Parkside intentionally walked Jason Martin to load the bases. Another wild pitch by Wisconsin-Parkside’s Michael Elliott allowed Osterkamp to score the tying run, setting the stage for Eschan’s game-winning hit. NKU - which defeated top-seeded University of Indianapolis in the first round Thursday - improved to 38-19 and will meet Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville at 1:15 Saturday. NKU is now 2-0 in the double-elimination GLVC Tournament, while Wisconsin-Parkside was eliminated with the loss. If NKU defeats SIUE on Saturday, the Norse will advance to Sunday’s championship round. NKU would then need just one win to capture its first-ever GLVC Tournament title. NORSE NOTES: NKU junior catcher Jason Martin broke the NKU single-season record for hits Friday when he doubled in the second inning. Martin - who added two more hits after the second-inning double - now has 80 hits this season. The previous NKU single-season record for hits was 77, set by Alan Hayden in 1985. |