Courtesy of NKUNorse.com
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University baseball team erased a 7-0 deficit in game one against Youngstown State on Sunday, scoring eight runs in the eighth inning for an 8-7 win. The Norse followed with a 12-8 win in game two after Quint Heady went 8-for-10 with five runs scored, four RBI and two homers on the day to conclude the 2016 regular season.
With the pair of victories, NKU (20-33, 9-21 Horizon League) is still eligible for the Horizon League Championships. The Norse have a bye next week and could clinch the final seed in the tournament pending the results of the three-game series between Youngstown State (13-35, 5-18 Horizon League) and Valparaiso next weekend.
Game one (Northern Kentucky 8, Youngstown State 7)
In game one, the Penguins scored at least one run in each of the first four innings for a 5-0 lead.
A pair of solo home runs from YSU’s Andrew Kendrick and Alex Larivee pushed the Penguin lead to 7-0 before the Norse exploded for eight runs on eight hits in the bottom of the eighth for the eventual victory.
A three-run home run from Logan Spurlin sparked the eight-run inning. Spurlin plated Trey Ganns and Heady with his Horizon League-leading 10th home run of the season.
Ryan LeFevers plated two on a double while Brad Bohlen followed with a double of his own to score LeFevers and cut the YSU lead to 7-6.
Heady tied the game on an RBI single and came around to score the game-winning run on Ty Amann’s double to right field.
Aric Harris tossed the top of the ninth, holding YSU hitless to seal the victory and earn his third save of the season. The win went to freshman reliever Jordan Menfee who allowed two hits and one run in 2.0 innings pitched.
Game two (Northern Kentucky 12, Youngstown State 8)
NKU’s offensive onslaught continued into game two as the Norse jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the second inning with the help of a four-run bottom of the first.
Heady laced a solo homer to lead off both the first and second innings to help NKU out to its early advantage.
The teams exchanged runs throughout the remainder of the game with the Norse and Penguins trading off a pair of three-run innings across the fourth and fifth for an 8-3 NKU advantage.
A Heady RBI single, a pair of sac flies, and an RBI single from Ganns helped the Norse pile on enough insurance for the win.
Justin Watts picked up the victory after 2.1 innings pitched with four hits, three runs, two earned, four strikeouts and no walks.
Offensively, Heady went 4-for-5 with three runs and three RBI while Ganns went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. Will Haueter added three RBI in game two.
NORSE NOTES:
· Heady issued a 10-for-20 (.500) showing on the weekend with a .900 slugging percentage. The senior has batted 28-for-59 (.474) across the last 14 games to boost his average from .248 to .322, a team-best mark. He also has a team-high .356 average against League opponents this season.
· After pitching the final inning of game two on Sunday, senior reliever Alex Bolia is tied for 10th all-time at NKU with 60 career appearances. Additionally, with a home run in game one, Spurlin is now tied for eighth all-time with 21 career home runs.
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