Week 13 Game Notes | Atlantic Sun Weekly Release
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University baseball team continues Atlantic Sun Conference play with a three-game series against Stetson University in DeLand, Fla., this weekend at Melching Field at Conrad Park.
First pitch for Friday and Saturday's contests is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., while Sunday is slated for a 1 p.m. start. Video for all games will be available via ASun.TV, and live stats and John Asalon's audio broadcast information will be available at NKUNorse.com.
NKU enters the weekend 8-40 overall and 3-18 in the A-Sun dropping three games to Lipscomb last weekend. Josh Cotham, who earned conference pitcher of the week honors on Monday, threw a complete-game, three-hit shutout to lead the Bisons to a 1-0 victory on Friday, and Lipscomb defeated the Norse, 3-2, in extra innings on Saturday. Rain shortened Sunday's action to seven innings but the Bisons used an 11-6 advantage to complete the sweep.
After a non-conference game against Bowling Green State University on Tuesday, the Norse conclude the 2013 season with a three-game homestand against A-Sun foe Mercer University May 16-18.
ABOUT STETSON: Stetson is 23-26 on the year and 12-9 in the conference. In midweek action, the Hatters fell to No. 7 Florida State twice at home. The Seminoles cruised to a 13-5 victory on Tuesday night before defeating Stetson, 14-2, on Wednesday to complete a four-game sweep on the year.
Patrick Mazeika is the only player that has started every game this season for the Hatters and boasts a conference-high .395 batting average. He leads Stetson in nearly every offensive category, including doubles (9), home runs (3) and RBIs (31). Mazeika's .456 batting average and .547 on-base percentage against conference opponents is also No. 1 in the league.
Left-handed pitcher Austin Perez, who NKU is expected to face on Saturday, is 6-1 on the mound this season and holds a 2.64 earned run average, which ranks seventh in the A-Sun. He has recorded a team-high 51 strikeouts over 71 2/3 innings of work. He has thrown one complete game and has combined for two shutouts.
SIMILAR NON-CONFERENCE FOE: Outside of A-Sun action, NKU and Stetson both faced Ohio State University this season. The Hatters faced the Buckeyes in the Brighthouse Invitational Tournament on March 2, and Garrett Russini's double in the 12th inning gave Stetson a 3-2 walk-off victory.
The Norse dropped a doubleheader to Ohio State last Wednesday. The Buckeyes took advantage of Norse errors to bring home the game-winning runs in the 9-8 and 6-5 victories.
JEFFERSON STRONG AGAIN: Matt Jefferson recorded his second complete game of the season in Saturday's 10-inning 3-2 loss to Lipscomb. He allowed just one earned run on 11 hits and struck out three batters. Jefferson did not surrender a walk in the fourth complete game of his NKU career.
His 10-inning effort marked the first time an NKU pitcher went more than nine innings since Dave Middendorf pitched 11 against Drury on March 26, 2011. Middendorf gave up one run on four hits while striking out nine batters before Andy Heston pitched the final inning of the 2-1 victory.
HEADY HEATING UP: Quint Heady went 8-for-17 (.471) over five starts last week to lead the NKU offense. He collected three runs, two RBIs and one double on the week, and he drew three walks. He successfully stole two bases in as many attempts in Sunday's contest against Lipscomb.
Heady raised his batting average 56 points last week and is now hitting .266 on the year, which ranks second on the team. He has recorded hits in the last six games for the Norse, including back-to-back multiple hit games to end the Lipscomb series.
