NKU's Pat Muth connects for his game-winning double in the 11th inning.
Photo gallery |
Game 1 box score |
Game 2 box score
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky University unleashed a potent offensive attack against Maryville on Saturday and swept a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader from the visiting Saints.
In the opener, Pat Muth smashed a run-scoring double with two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning to give NKU a 10-9 victory. The Norse wrapped up the sweep by pounding out 17 hits during a 17-9 win in the nightcap.
NKU improved 31-12 overall, 17-5 in the GLVC. The Norse, ranked 29th nationally in the NCAA Division II poll, are atop the GLVC East Division standings and own a four-game lead over second-place Indianapolis.
Maryville dropped to 9-28 overall, 5-17 in the GLVC.
NKU appeared to be in control of the first game, holding a 7-2 lead going into the top of the sixth inning. Maryville, however, scored seven runs in the sixth to take a 9-7 advantage.
NKU tied the game at 9-all by plating two runs in the bottom of the seventh as
Bryan Rose and Muth each collected RBI singles. The game remained tied until the 11th, when
Jake Morris drew a walk and stole second base.
After the next two batters were retired, Muth lined a double into left-center field to drive in Morris with the winning run.
Kevin Jordan pitched 4 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to pick up his sixth win of the season. The Norse finished with 18 hits and won despite committing six errors. Muth finished 4-for-7 with five runs batted in, while
Jason Cisper was 3-for-6 with two runs scored.
In the nightcap,
Larry Pempek and
Aaron Mentz each slugged home runs as NKU cruised to a 17-9 win.
Shannon McCormick was 3-for-4 with three runs batted in and scored three times, while teammate
Jeff Bohlen scored three runs.
NKU used a 10-run outburst in the third inning to build a 14-1 lead. Pempek triggered the big inning with his fifth homer of the season, a two-run blast to left-center field. The following inning, Mentz hammered a three-run homer to left to increase the Norse advantage to 17-1.
Cisper added two hits and is now batting .476. He has 79 hits and is four shy of tying the NKU single-season record of 83, which was set by Shaun Erie in 2002.
Ryan Schmidt struck out six batters in six innings of work to notch his fifth win of the season.
The two wins jumped head coach
Todd Asalon's career total to 494. Asalon now has 350 wins at NKU, and he collected 144 victories while the head coach at Thomas More.
NKU concludes the four-game series with Maryville with a noon doubleheader Sunday.
