Box score (XML) |
Box score (PDF)
ATLANTA – The Northern Kentucky University baseball team used a four-run ninth inning to come from behind for a 4-3 victory over Georgia State at the GSU Baseball Complex in non-conference action on Saturday afternoon.
Logan Spurlin extended his on-base streak to 14 games, dating back to last season, with a single to start the final inning for NKU, which improved to 3-7 overall.
Barrett Arnold replaced Spurlin at first base, and
Cody Kuzniczci drew a walk to put the tying run on base.
Jordan Procyshen successfully laid down a bunt and beat Matt Rose's throw to first base to load the bases for the Norse and end the day for starting pitcher Andrew Fessler.
Zac Asman followed with a double to left field, and Arnold, Kuzniczci and Procyshen came home to give NKU a 3-2 advantage.
Josh Myers sent Asman to third on a sacrifice bunt, which brought
Quint Heady to the plate. Heady proceeded to give himself up on a squeeze bunt that sent Asman home for the eventual game-winning run.
Georgia State, which fell to 5-5 with the loss, made one last effort to regain the lead in the bottom of the frame. Rose flew out to Myers in center field for the first out of the inning, but Nic Wilson sent a
Jake Shaw pitch over the center-field wall to cut the Norse advantage to 4-3.
Shaw then struck Chase Raffield out looking, and Myers made a diving catch to end the game.
Garrett Schrantz (1-0) pitched 1.1 innings of relief for the Norse to earn his first collegiate victory. He only surrendered one hit and walked one batter, while Shaw earned his second save of the season after holding off the Georgia State rally in the ninth inning.
NKU's come-from-behind victory comes exactly one year to the day when the Norse scored six runs in the top of the final inning to defeat Texas State, 6-5, in San Marcos, Texas. Kuzniczci reached on a throwing error by the third baseman to allow
Brad Clement to score the go-ahead run before NKU retired the Bobcats in order to hold on for the win.
The Panthers got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth inning to open the game's scoring. Caden Bailey opened the frame with a single to right field, and a Rose single down the left-field line sent Bailey to third. Wilson then grounded into a double play, but Bailey was able to score for a 1-0 Georgia State lead after five.
Chris Triplett's single to centerfield in the bottom of the seventh inning scored Wilson to stretch the Georgia State advantage to 2-0, setting the stage for the ninth-inning rally.
Procyshen went 2-for-3 with a run to lead the NKU offense, while Asman extended his hitting streak to nine games with his ninth-inning double.
Kyle Colletta's single in the first inning stretched his hitting streak to eight contests for the Norse.
Bailey finished 2-for-4 with a run, double and sacrifice to lead Georgia State, which left 12 runners stranded on the day, including bases-loaded situations twice. Wilson went 1-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored and two walks.
Fessler (0-2) took the loss for the Panthers despite pitching eight scoreless innings. He faced three NKU batters before being replaced by Kevin Burgee in the ninth inning. Fessler struck out five Norse batters and walked four.
NKU takes the field tomorrow looking to complete the series sweep over Georgia State for its first series sweep as an NCAA Division I program. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. Links to live stats and John Asalon's broadcast will be available at nkunorse.com.
