Bullpen helps NKU Norse to 4-3 walk-off win

Courtesy of NKUNorse.com

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Four Norse relievers combined for 9.2 scoreless innings on Wednesday evening while Tito Montgomery scored the game-winning run on a Dayton error in the bottom of the 11th inning to lead the Northern Kentucky University baseball team to a 4-3 walk-off win over the Flyers.

Charlie Jerger entered the game with one out in the third and twirled a season-high 5.2 scoreless innings with five hits, no walks and two strikeouts.

Aric Harris posted 2.0 scoreless frames with three hits and two strikeouts while Alex Bolia chipped in a scoreless inning of work to pick up the win.

NKU (15-22) tied the game on a Quint Heady sacrifice fly with one out in the bottom of the ninth. Heady scored Billy Marion who pinch ran for Trey Ganns after he reached on a leadoff single.

In the bottom of the 11th, Montgomery drew a leadoff walk and scored on a Dayton throwing error forced by Anthony Vagnier to win the game.

Offensively, Trey Ganns, Logan Spurlin and Will Haueter posted multi-hit showings.

Dayton (13-25) scored all three of its runs in the top of the second on a pair of walks and a sacrifice fly before the NKU bullpen shut down the Flyers.

The Norse offense was quiet until the sixth inning when three-straight hits including RBI knocks from Spurlin and Ganns cut the Dayton lead to 3-2 before the Norse knotted the game at 3-3 in the ninth, forcing the game into extra innings.

NKU returns to action on Friday for a doubleheader against Horizon League foe Oakland in Rochester, Michigan. First pitch is set fornoon with game one set to air on ESPN3. 

NORSE NOTES:

• Jerger improved his team-leading ERA to 2.76 with his season-high 5.2 innings of work. The junior has allowed nine earned runs in 29.1 innings this season and has totaled 11.2 scoreless innings in midweek games.
• The Norse batted .353 (6-of-17) with two outs and advanced runners 11 times in 17 opportunities for a .647 clip.
• Spurlin’s on-base streak was extended to 21 games after the senior catcher went 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI.