HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Matt Jefferson struck out seven batters in a complete-game performance to lead the Northern Kentucky University baseball team to its first NCAA Division I series sweep with a 4-2 victory over Xavier University on Sunday at the Bill Aker Baseball Complex.
 
Jefferson (1-4) allowed just two runs on nine hits, and he walked just two batters for NKU, which improved to 9-14 overall.  Brad Bohlen paced the Norse offense, going 2-for-3 from the plate with one double, while seven other players recorded one hit.
 
NKU took advantage of a pair of Xavier errors in the first to plate two runs for the early lead.  Cole Bauml doubled to lead off the inning, and Kyle Colletta followed with a single up the middle.  Colletta reached second as shortstop Andre Jernigan bobbled the ball on a stolen base attempt.
 
A Logan Spurlin ground out brought Bauml home for the first run of the game, and Colletta scored on the second Xavier miscue of the inning, which saw David Head reach base, and the Norse held a 2-0 advantage at the end of the inning.
 
The Musketeers, who fell to 8-19 on the year, cut their deficit in half in the top of the next frame.  Jernigan hit a lead-off double and was followed by an Ethan Schmidt infield single.  Derek Hasenbeck brought Jernigan home with a single to left field.
 
The Norse threatened in the bottom half of the inning.  Brad Bohlen recorded a one-out double down the left-field line, and Bauml was intentionally walked after an NKU strikeout.  Colletta drew a walk to load the bases, but Cody Kuzniczci flew out to send NKU back into the dugout with its 2-1 advantage.
 
David Head stretched the Norse lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning.  After Logan Spurlin reached base on a fielder's choice, he went to second on a balk by Trent Astle.  Head then sent the first pitch he saw through the right side, and Spurlin beat the throw to home to add the third Norse run of the game.
 
Xavier pulled to within one in the top of the eighth.  Nate Soria doubled down the left-field line with one out before Joe Forney fouled out.  Soria then scored on a Brian Bruening infield single to pull the Musketeers to within 3-2.
 
NKU answered in the bottom of the inning.  Anthony Vagnier hit a lead-off infield single and went to second on a Sean Campbell balk.  A Bohlen sacrifice bunt sent Vagnier to third, and Dominic Mercurio sent a 2-0 pitch back up the middle to bring Vagnier home for a 4-2 Norse advantage.
 
The Musketeers attempted to rally in the top of the ninth.  Jefferson struck out Schmidt and Hasenbeck to lead off the inning, but he walked Blaine Griffiths.  Patrick Jones followed with a 3-2 single up the middle, sending Griffiths to second, but pinch hitter Selby Chidemo sent the first pitch he saw into Vagnier's glove for the final out of the game.
 
Soria, Hasenbeck and Jones each went 2-for-4 from the plate to lead Xavier.  Soria scored once for the Musketeers, while Hasenbeck drove in one run.  Astle (1-4) took the loss on the mound, pitching six innings and giving up three runs, two earned, on five hits.  He struck out six batters and walked four.
 
NKU begins a four-game road trip on Tuesday as the Norse travel to Richmond, Kentucky, for a 6 p.m. contest against Eastern Kentucky.  Links to live stats and John Asalon's audio broadcast are available at NKUNorse.com.  Fans can also tracks the game's progress by following @NKUNorseGameDay on Twitter.