The Norse won their fifth championship in the last eight seasons.
SAUGET, Ill. - Timely hitting and clutch pitching helped Northern Kentucky University repeat as Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament baseball champions Sunday afternoon.
Kevin Dusold's two-run single in the top of the ninth inning snapped a 3-all tie and lifted NKU to a 5-3 victory against Indianapolis in the GLVC championship game. The Norse (40-20) earned the GLVC's automatic berth to the NCAA Division II Tournament with the title.
NKU also erased its odd-year jinx in the GLVC Tournament with the win. The Norse had captured GLVC Tournament championships in 2002, '04, '06 and '08, only to be denied repeat titles in the following odd years.
Tied at 3-all going into the ninth inning, NKU's
Jason Cisper led off with a double down the left-field line. Pat Muth, attempting to sacrifice, followed with a bunt single that advanced Cisper to third.
Evan McDole then grounded back to the mound, and Cisper had to hold at third with Muth advancing to second base. That brought up Dusold, who lined a single to left field that drove in both Cisper and Muth to give NKU a 5-3 lead.
NKU closer
Matt Winterhalter took over in the bottom of the ninth and struck out two Indianapolis batters after allowing a lead-off single. Winterhalter then induced Adam Akin to ground out to second base for the final out.
Cisper was 4-for-5 and scored a pair of runs for NKU, while Dusold went 2-for-5 with three runs batted in.
Kevin Jordan picked up the win in relief by allowing just one hit in 3 1/3 innings on the mound.
NKU will meet Southern Indiana in the first round of the Midwest Regional at Chillicothe, Ohio, on Thursday.
