TROY, Ala.- The Northern Kentucky University baseball team (0-1) opened the 2016 season falling 10-3 at Troy (1-0) on Friday.

Troy got on the board first in the bottom half of the second inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, NKU pitcher Justin Watts threw a wild pitch on a swinging strike three, allowing Joey Denison to score giving Troy the 1-0 advantage. Watts got out of the jam striking out the next batter Steven Whitaker.

The Trojans tacked on seven runs over the next four innings giving the Norse an 8-0 deficit to overcome after the sixth. In the top of the seventh, the Norse offense came to life when Trey Ganns singled to left field. Will Haueter then moved Ganns to third with a double down the left field line putting two Norse on base with no outs. Kyle Colletta then singled with an infield hit to the shortstop scoring Ganns to get Northern Kentucky on the board.

Troy reliever Robert Harris then walked Anthony Vagnier loading the bases for Adam Bolen. Bolen reached on a fielder's choice to third scoring Haueter with Vagnier being thrown out at second. With NKU trailing 8-2, Dominic Mercurio stepped to the plate and reached on a fielders choice scoring Colletta at third with Bolen getting thrown out at second. Jake Hickey followed with a two out single, but the threat was ended when Tito Montgomery struck out swinging.

The Trojans extended their lead to 10-3 in the bottom of the eighth on a RBI fielder's choice by Matt Sanders and a RBI single by Reid Long.

Grant Bennett (1-0) got the win for Troy facing 20 batters over six innings of work and allowing only two hits with no runs on seven strike outs. Justin Watts (0-1) took the loss for NKU facing 20 batters allowing four hits, five runs with four earned.

Northern Kentucky and Troy resume their season opening four game series tomorrow with a double header set to being at 2 p.m. (ET)/1 p.m. (CT). Links to video, live stats and John Asalon's audio broadcast can be found at NKUNorse.com.