Northern Kentucky University Athletics

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ATLANTA – The Northern Kentucky University baseball team took advantage of a Georgia State error in the top of the 11th inning for a 6-5 victory over the Panthers at the GSU Baseball Complex in non-conference action on Friday.

With the score tied at 5-all, Brad Bohlen started the inning with a single, and a one-out single to left field by Kyle Colletta sent Bohlen to second.  Logan Spurlin then reached on a fielder's choice that saw Colletta out on the play, and Bohlen went on to score on an error by second baseman Greg Bowder.

Colletta, who extended his hitting streak to seven games, led the Norse offense after going 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI.  The freshman from Lincolnwood, Ill., was also hit by two pitches, while Cody Kuzniczci went 3-for-6 with a two-run home run.

Jake Shaw (1-1) earned the win for the Norse after pitching 3.2 scoreless innings of relief.  He only surrendered one hit and struck out two batters, including Joey Roach to end the game.

Georgia State got out to an early lead in the first inning as Nic Wilson's double drove in a run, and Chase Raffield sent a Cody Cooper pitch over the right-field wall to give the Panthers a 3-0 advantage.

Kuzniczci cut into the Georgia State lead in the top of the third.  Colletta was hit by a Garrett Ford pitch to start the inning for the Norse, and Kuzniczci stepped to the plate and sent a one-out home run over the left-field wall to bring the score to 3-2.

Jordan Procyshen followed with a double to centerfield, and Zac Asman drew a walk.  Josh Myers was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Quint Heady walked in the tying run to end the day for Ford.

Cooper retired the next six Georgia State batters before Caden Bailey singled to start the bottom of the fifth frame.  He advanced to second on a bunt and came home on an error by third baseman David Head, giving the Panthers a 4-3 lead.

NKU answered in the top of the next inning when a Colletta single brought Ryan LeFevers home to tie the game at 4-all.  The Norse then took their first lead of the game in the sixth on Procyshen's sacrifice fly that scored Spurlin.

Zach Moon's first career home run tied the game for the third time of the day at 5-5 in the bottom of the seventh before Georgia State threatened in the bottom of the next frame after a one-out double by Wilson.  After Raffield was intentionally walked, Shaw was sent in to relieve Cooper, and he got the Norse out of the inning without giving up a run.

NKU and Georgia State each recorded hits in the ninth and 10th innings, but neither team could bring home the go-ahead run, setting the stage for the game-winning play.

Spurlin collected two hits for the Norse to extend his streak of reaching base to 13 games, dating back to last season.  Asman also extended his hitting streak to eight games with a double in the top of the 10th inning, while Procyshen recorded a double, a run and an RBI for NKU, which improved to 2-7 on the year with the victory.

Cooper pitched 7.2 innings for NKU, which collected 14 hits on the day, and surrendered four earned runs on seven hits.  He struck out four batters while only walking two.

Wilson finished 2-for-4 with two doubles to lead Georgia State, which fell to 5-4 overall with the loss.  He hit two doubles, scored once and batted in a run.  Raffield went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and two walks for the Panthers.

Jerry Stuckey (2-1) picked up his first loss on the year for Georgia State.  He pitched four innings in relief for the Panthers and surrendered just one unearned run while scattering four hits. 

Both teams return to the field tomorrow at 2 p.m. for the second game of the series.  The series finale on Sunday is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.  Links to live stats and John Asalon's audio broadcasts will be available at nkunorse.com.