NKU Norse defeats No. 12 Kentucky, 5-4

Courtesy of NKUNorse.com

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Logan Spurlin drove in three runs on Tuesday night as Norse reliever Charlie Jerger tossed 3.0 scoreless innings of relief to lead the Northern Kentucky University baseball team over No. 12 Kentucky, 5-4, at Cliff Hagan Stadium.

With Kentucky (17-7) leading 3-2 in the top of the sixth, Spurlin launched a game-tying solo homer. Mike Moffatt scored the go-ahead run after reaching on a two-out single and crossing the plate on a Kyle Colletta RBI single. A double off the bat of Quint Heady plated Dominic Mercurio for the inning’s third and final run that handed NKU a 5-3 lead that UK could not overcome.

Norse (8-16) starter Tyler Miller picked up the win after tossing 6.0 innings with six hits and four runs, three of which were earned. The senior fanned three and walked none.

Jerger, a sophomore reliever, tossed 3.0 scoreless innings with one hit to close out the victory and earn the save. The Wildcats’ lone hit was the only baserunner to reach against Jerger as he struck out three and walked none.

Spurlin and Tito Montgomery each posted multi-hit showings as the Norse out-hit UK, 10-7.

The Norse were down 2-0 early after Kentucky scored two on a pair of two-out RBI singles from Dorian Hairston and Riley Mahan in the bottom of the second. However, NKU quickly erased the deficit in the next inning when Spurlin pushed Conor Ledger and Montgomery across the plate with a two-run single to center to knot the game at 2-2.

Kentucky jumped ahead, 3-2, in the bottom of the fourth on a solo homer from Luke Becker, but the lead would be the Wildcats’ last as the Norse used their three-run sixth frame to pile on enough insurance for the 5-4 win.

NKU returns to action on Wednesday when the Norse host Butler for a 3 p.m. tilt at Bill Aker Baseball Complex.

NORSE NOTES:

• The win was NKU’s first-ever over Kentucky in 14 meetings throughout program history. The victory also marked the first win over an SEC team in program history.
• Jerger leads the Norse bullpen with a 2.16 ERA across 16.2 innings pitched. The sophomore has not walked more than a single batter in his 11 appearances this season and has fanned 12.
• Spurlin’s home run was his team-leading fourth of the season as the senior is riding eight-game hitting streak and has posted eight RBI across the last seven games.