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Box score (PDF)NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Lipscomb University baseball team recorded late home runs in back-to-back innings to lift the Bisons to a 4-2 victory over Northern Kentucky University at Dugan Field in Atlantic Sun Conference action on Saturday night.
Tyler Bethune broke open a tied ballgame in the bottom of the seventh inning when he sent a 1-0 shot over the left-field wall to give Lipscomb a 3-2 advantage before Josh Lee's second homer of the season added the insurance run for the Bisons in the eighth.
Bethune finished 2-for-2 from the plate with two runs scored to lead Lipscomb, which improved to 26-18 on the year and 14-6 in the Atlantic Sun. Grant Massey went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, while Jonathan Allison finished 1-for-2 with two walks for the Bisons.
Nick Andros pitched four innings of perfect relief for Lipscomb to improve to 4-0 on the year, and he recorded two strikeouts. Starter Hunter Brothers went five innings and struck out seven batters while walking just one and allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits.
Lipscomb opened the game's scoring in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs, Bethune and Allison drew back-to-back walks. Massey then recorded the first hit of the game for the Bisons, and Bethune came home for a 1-0 Bisons lead.
Tyson Ashcraft's RBI single the following frame allowed Austin Sistrunk, who doubled to left field on the previous play, to score as Lipscomb took a 2-0 advantage.
NKU put two runs on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth to even the score at 2-all.
David Head started the rally by reaching base when Bethune's throw sailed by first baseman Adam Lee, and
Kyle Colletta followed with a walk.
After a strikeout,
Ryan LeFevers was hit by a pitch to load the bases, bringing
Zac Asman to the plate. Asman then sent a 2-2 pitch through the left side, and Head and Colletta came home for the Norse.
The Bisons threatened in the bottom of the inning when Bethune hit a lead-off single and attempted to score on a Massey double to deep center field, but the Norse defense gunned Bethune down at home to preserve the tie until his home run in the seventh.
Asman went 2-for-4 with two RBIs to lead NKU, which dropped to 12-28 overall and 5-12 in the Atlantic Sun.
Jordan Procyshen also finished 2-for-4 with a double for the Norse, while LeFevers recorded NKU's only other hit, a double in the third inning.
Jake Shaw (2-5) took the loss for the Norse, pitching 2.2 innings of relief. He surrendered just one run on three hits, and he recorded two strikeouts and did not walk a batter.
Adam Jafine went 4.1 innings in his 10th start of the season, giving up two runs on four hits, while
Alex Bolia recorded two strikeouts and allowed one run in the eighth inning for NKU.
NKU and Lipscomb will meet for the series finale at Dugan Field on Sunday at 2 p.m. Eastern. Links to live stats, the ASun.TV broadcast and John Asalon's audio broadcast for the contest will be available at NKUNorse.com.
