NKU swept a pair from Ohio Dominican on Sunday.
Game 1 box score |
Game 2 box score
FLORENCE, Ky. – As a youngster playing baseball, kids dream of knocking in the game-winning run in extra innings. Sunday evening,
Brad Clement lived out those dreams as he smacked a two-strike, two-out run-scoring double to right-center, giving Northern Kentucky University a 5-4 victory over Ohio Dominican in eight innings at Florence Freedom Field.
NKU also took the first game of the day by a final of 2-0.
Clement, who entered the day with a team-leading batting average (.548) and RBI total (15), came through in the clutch for the Norse by driving in
Zac Asman from second. Asman singled earlier in the inning and stole second to set up Clement's heroics.
Clement and Asman teamed up to give NKU a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but the Panthers would later take a 4-1 lead with a single run in the third and three more in the fifth.
Brett Cisper leveled the score at 4-all in the bottom of the fifth when he stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and no outs and proceeded to send a bases-clearing double to the left-center wall.
Brett Wagner pitched 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief before
Andy Heston (3-0) came in to pick up the win with a perfect 1-2-3 top of the eighth.
NKU (7-4) would get a brilliant pitching performance from
Dave Middendorf in the first game of the doubleheader to take a 2-0 decision from Ohio Dominican (2-6).
Middendorf (2-1) allowed just three hits while striking out seven with no walks while throwing just 77 pitches in the seven-inning affair.
The Norse scored both of their runs in the second inning off Ohio Dominican ace-hurler Alex Borgan (1-1).
Shannon McCormick got things rolling with a one-out double and came home one batter later on a run-scoring single up the middle past the outstretched arms of ODU second baseman Felix Brown.
Randy Weinel then drove in Cisper from second on a two-out single to left field to give Middendorf all the run support he would need.
NKU will now take to the road for a single game against Lincoln Memorial this Wednesday, before heading to Kansas City, Mo., for a doubleheader to open Great Lakes Valley Conference play against Rockhurst on Sun., March 20.
