HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Junior Kyle Colletta tossed a career-high tying 8.0 innings and held Oakland to two runs on Friday afternoon, but the Golden Grizzlies assembled a late rally to defeat the Northern Kentucky University baseball team, 6-3, at Bill Aker Baseball Complex.

Colletta struck out four and walked one to help NKU (7-14, 0-4 Horizon League) hold a 3-1 lead in the fifth inning that stuck until the final frame when Oakland (8-11, 2-2 Horizon League) plated five runs to take the series opener.

Dominic Mercurio issued a 3-for-4 showing at the plate with an RBI. Logan Spurlin and Mike Moffatt posted one RBI a piece while Conor Ledger registered a pair of hits.

The Norse scored first, spotting a pair of runs in the bottom of the third when Spurlin plated Ledger on an RBI single. Haueter then scored on a double off the bat of Moffatt for a 2-0 lead.

Both teams added a run in the fifth frame with Oakland scoring its first run of the game on an RBI double. In the home half of the inning, the Norse took advantage of an Oakland error and a Mercurio RBI single to claim a 3-1 advantage.

Colletta held Oakland to one hit across the next three innings.

The Golden Grizzlies put together their late rally after a double to left field from Conor Fannon led off the ninth inning. Five more hits in the frame including a two-run home run from Mike Brosseau iced the game.

The three-game set concludes on Saturday with a doubleheader at noon at Bill Aker Baseball Complex.

NORSE NOTES:

• NKU posted its sixth errorless game of the season on Friday.
• Colletta's 8.0 innings pitched ties his career-high and is a season-best for Norse pitchers as he made his second start of the season and sixth of his career. The right-hander pitched 8.0 innings on May 7, 2014 in a win over Butler.
• Mercurio is batting .529 (9-for-17) with a .588 slugging percentage across NKU's four League contests.