Troy, Ala.- The Northern Kentucky University baseball team continued its four-game season opening series at Troy on Saturday with a double header at Riddle-Pace field. In game one the Norse suffered a 5-0 setback, and in game two they fell 6-1 to the Trojans.
 
Game 1: NKU 0, Troy 5
 
Troy (3-0) took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. With on one and one out, Trevor Davis doubled to score Matt Sanders to give the Trojans a 1-0 advantage. NKU pitcher Jordan Menfee retired the next batter on a fly out to left field but then hit the next batter, Reid Long, putting a runner on first.
 
Menfee then walked Chase Smartt. With the bases loaded, Menfee once again hit a batter, putting T.J. Binder on first and bringing home Davis for the score. Menfee recovered on the next batter striking out Brody Binder to end the threat.
 
The Trojans tacked on another run in the bottom of the third on a RBI single by Smartt pushing their lead to 3-0. Troy extended the lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the sixth, when Sanders scored during a bases loaded 5-3 double play. In the bottom of the eighth, the Trojans picked up another run on a two out RBI triple.
 
Northern Kentucky (0-3) belted four hits by four different players. Quint Heady, Will Haueter, Anthony Vagnier and Brad Bohlen were able to get on base, but were not able to cross the plate. Lucas Brown (1-0) got the win for Troy pitching eight innings, giving up four hits with two strikeouts facing 26 batters. Jordan Menfee (0-1) took the loss for NKU pitching five innings, giving up five hits with two strikeouts. 
 
Game 2: NKU 1, Troy 6
 
Troy got on the board first on a solo homerun by Reid Long giving the Trojans a 1-0 advantage early. Later in the inning with one out and a runner on first the Norse turned a sharp 4-6-3 double play to end the frame.
 
The Trojans extended the lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the third with an RBI double by Davis that scored Sanders from third. Joey Denison then hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Davis bringing the Trojan run total to three.
 
The Norse cut into the Trojan lead scoring one run in the top of the fourth. Troy pitcher Evan Hebert walked Trey Ganns to open the inning. Will Haueter followed Ganns with a single to left putting runners on first and second. Kyle Colletta then bunted the runners over give the Norse a chance at a scoring opportunity. Conor Ledger stepped to the plate and grounded out to third base but it was good enough to scores Ganns cutting the Trojan deficit to two runs.
 
The Trojans extended the lead again in the bottom of the sixth inning. Smartt belted a RBI single scoring Denison making it 4-1 Troy. Later with two out and two on Justin Friend hit a two run double to left center pushing the Troy lead to 6-1. 
 
Evan Hebert (1-0) got the win for Troy pitching six innings, allowing one run on four hits, two walks and tallying three strikeouts. Knisley Pierce (0-1) took the loss for Northern Kentucky pitching 5.2 innings, allowing five runs on 10 hits, one walk and collecting two strikeouts.
 
The Norse and Trojans will play the final game of this season-opening four game series on Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. (ET)/ 1 p.m. (CT). Links to live stats, video and John Asalon's internet broadcast can be found at NKUNorse.com.