HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University baseball team takes a break from Horizon League play to travel to Ball State for a 3 p.m. midweek tilt on Tuesday at First Merchants Ballpark Complex.
Links to audio and live stats are available on NKUNorse.com
Gameday Information
Northern Kentucky Norse (15-26, 4-15 Horizon League)
at Ball State Cardinals (24-17, 10-5 Mid-American Conference)
Tuesday, April 26 – 3 p.m.
First Merchants Ballpark Complex | Muncie, Ind.
NKU: Fr. RHP Jordan Menfee
BSU: Jr. LHP Evan Korson
LAST WEEKEND: The Norse fell to Horizon League foes Oakland and Wright State in doubleheaders over the weekend. Tyler Miller tossed a complete game on Friday at Oakland, but NKU fell, 4-3, on a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth. In game two at Oakland, Trey Ganns went 4-for-4 and ended his weekend batting 5-for-13 with two doubles and two RBI across NKU's four games. Against Wright State, Quint Heady went 4-for-7 with a double but the Norse fell, 5-2 and 13-3.
SCOUTING THE CARDINALS: Ball State enters the contest sporting a 24-17 overall record and leads the MAC West Division with a 10-5 record. Caleb Stayton paces a Cardinal offense that is batting .294 as a team. Stayton has a .395 average and has driven in 57 runs in 41 games, for 1.39 per game - the second-best mark nationally. Alex Call has scored a team-high 50 runs and 21 doubles and is batting .384. Ball State has clubbed 98 doubles to go with 15 triples and 32 home runs.
BJ Butler anchors the Cardinal bullpen with eight saves in 18 appearances and 34.2 innings pitched. The Ball State pitching staff has accrued a 3.95 ERA and has a .267 batting average against.
SERIES HISTORY: The Norse are 4-0 against Ball State with the first meeting coming in 1980. The Norse won both ends of the 1980 doubleheader, 12-6 and 8-2. Head coach Todd Asalon is 2-0 against Ball State with a 10-9 victory coming on April 3, 2013 at BSU. The game was highlighted by Logan Spurlin's first career grand slam. The teams' last meeting came on April 2, 2014 when NKU won 4-3 at home.
ON THE ROAD: The Norse are set to open a nine-game road swing as nine of their final 13 games are away. Northern Kentucky owns an 8-13 record in road contests. Will Haueter has batted .359 (23-for-64) on opponents' turf this season. The squad returns home for a pair of doubleheaders against Milwaukee and Youngstown State May 13 and 15 for the final games of the regular season.
NONCONFERENCE OPPONENTS: The Norse are 11-11 against nonconference opponents this season with the help of a 6-1 midweek record. The Northern Kentucky pitching staff has posted a 3.27 ERA in midweek contests. The bullpen has held opponents to four runs in 34 innings pitched for a 1.06 ERA in those games led by Charlie Jerger who has 11.2 innings of scoreless work with seven hits, seven strikeouts and one walk.
MIDWEEK STARTERS: NKU's projected starter, Jordan Menfee, will be making his sixth appearance and fourth start. The freshman has 9.2 innings under his belt and last pitched on April 1 at Wright State.
Ball State is slated to throw former Norse Evan Korson. Last season at NKU, Korson accrued a 5.05 ERA in 15 appearances and eight starts. This season, Korson has tossed 21.1 innings for BSU. He owns a 1-2 record with a 4.22 ERA in 11 appearances and three starts.
UP NEXT: Following Tuesday's game, the Norse travel to Milwaukee for a three-game set beginning on Friday, April 29 with a 4 p.m. ET first pitch. Saturday's first pitch is set for 2 p.m. while the finale will be played at 6 p.m. at Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers.
