Northern Kentucky University Athletics

Photo gallery | Game 1 box score | Game 2 box score

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The Northern Kentucky University offense that has been missing in action suddenly reappeared Saturday against Indianapolis during an elimination game in the NCAA Division II Tournament.

And the biggest hit came off the bat of Jeff Bohlen in the top of the 10th inning, a two-run single that keyed NKU's 15-12 victory over Indianapolis in the Midwest Regional. Bohlen's single through the right side of the infield drove in Jason Cisper and Bryan Rose to snap a 12-all tie, giving NKU a 14-12 lead.

Joe Mack added an RBI single later in the 10th to extend the Norse advantage to 15-12, and Chase Stewart set down Indianapolis in the bottom of the inning to notch the victory.

NKU clubbed four home runs as part of a 20-hit attack. Rose hit a pair of homers and drove in three runs to lead the third-seeded Norse, who improved to 43-16 and advanced to meet top-seeded Southern Indiana in another elimination game later Saturday night.

NKU started off strongly in the first inning as Rose and Evan McDole hit back-to-back home runs to give the Norse a 2-0 lead. NKU later built a 5-1 lead by scoring three times in the fourth inning and appeared on its way to an easy win.

Indianapolis, however, countered by scoring four times in the bottom of the fourth to tie the contest at 5-all.

NKU responded in the top of the sixth with a two-run homer by Jason Cisper, a shot over the right-field wall that gave the Norse a 7-5 advantage. Rose then followed with his second homer of the game, a prodigious blast into the trees in right-center field that extended the Norse lead to 8-5.

Indianapolis plated six runs in the bottom of the sixth to take an 11-8 lead. A controversial safe call by second base umpire Shane Friebe on an apparent force play at second ignited the Greyhound rally. NKU reliever Kevin Jordan was charged with six earned runs during the Indianapolis rally in the sixth inning.

NKU, however, fought back and scored four times in the seventh to regain the lead at 12-11. Jake Morris tied the game at 11-all with a pinch-hit single that drove in Brian Erie, and, after Cisper was hit by a pitch, Rose lined a single to center to drive in Morris from second base to give NKU a 12-11 advantage.

Indianapolis tied the game at 12-all with a run in the bottom of the eighth. The Greyhounds had the bases loaded, but Stewart worked out of the jam.

Cisper led off the 10th with a single and stole second base. Rose was given an intentional walk, but McDole struck out swinging with runners on first and second.

NKU then pulled off a double steal with Shannon McCormick at the plate, with Cisper taking third and Rose going to second. After McCormick was walked to load the bases, Bohlen lined a single through the right side to give NKU a 14-12 lead.

Bohlen went 3-for-6 and drove in four runs for NKU, while Rose was 3-for-4 with three runs scored. McCormick was 3-for-4 and scored three times, while Mack also collected three hits.

In the second elimination game, top-seeded Southern Indiana posted a 6-5 win against the Norse. NKU played Southern Indiana an hour after defeating Indianapolis, but the Norse were unable to sustain the momentum against the host Screaming Eagles (46-13) early in the game.

Southern Indiana jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the second inning, but NKU scored single runs in the third and fourth stanzas to tie the game at 2-all. Caleb Ehmke, however, led off the fourth with a triple for Southern Indiana and later scored on an RBI single by Wandy Rosario to give the Screaming Eagles a 3-2 lead.

Southern Indiana scored two more runs in the fifth to extend its advantage to 5-2, and NKU was unable to overcome five errors in the defeat. NKU rallied and cut the deficit to 6-5 in the top of the ninth and had the tying run on third with two outs, but Trevor Leach induced Bohlen to ground out to second to end the game. NKU finished the season with a 43-17 record.

Southern Indiana will meet Grand Valley State on Sunday in the championship round. The Screaming Eagles will have to beat Grand Valley State twice to earn the trip to the NCAA Division II World Series.

NOTE: Cisper finished with a .442 batting average this season. He also finished with a Norse single-season record 102 hits and 26 doubles. Cisper, a Moeller High School graduate, also stole 39 bases in 43 attempts this spring. McDole finished his career with 174 runs batted in and tied John Heeter's school record in that category. The Bishop Brossart High School graduate drove in 65 runs this season and collected 22 doubles.