HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University baseball team is set for its final regular season Horizon League road trip this weekend as it heads to UIC for a Saturday doubleheader at 1:05 p.m. ET and a twinbill at Valparaiso at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Both games at UIC are set to air on ESPN3. Links to live stats and audio for each contest are available on NKUNorse.com
Gameday Information
Northern Kentucky Norse (16-29, 5-17 Horizon League)
at UIC Flames (20-23, 10-6 Horizon League)
Saturday, May 7 – 1:05 p.m. ET (DH)
Curtis Granderson Stadium | Chicago, Ill.
NKU: So. LHP Trey Ganns/Jr. LHP Charlie Jerger
UIC: Jr. RHP Connor Ryan/Sr. RHP Ian Lewandowski
Northern Kentucky Norse
at Valparaiso Crusaders (20-21, 11-7 Horizon League)
Sunday, May 8 – 1 p.m. ET (DH)
Emory G. Bauer Field | Valparaiso, Ind.
NKU: Sr. RHP Tyler Miller/So. RHP Pat Kelley
Valpo: Jr. RHP Mario Losi/RJr. RHP Ellis Foreman
LAST WEEKEND: The Norse last saw action when they took the finale of a three-game series at Milwaukee. NKU starter Trey Ganns tossed 7.2 scoreless innings with an NKU Division I program record 14 strikeouts to lead the Norse to a 3-0 shutout over the Panthers at Miller Park on Sunday. Ganns also had an RBI and a run scored while Aric Harris picked up a save after 1.1 scoreless innings. The win came after the Northern Kentucky offense struggled against Milwaukee pitching in the first two games, falling 6-0 and 8-0.
SCOUTING THE FLAMES: UIC is third in the Horizon League with a 10-6 record. UIC's offense ranks in the top three in the League in batting average (2nd, .273), slugging percentage (2nd, .395) and on-base percentage (3rd, .363). David Cronin paces the Flame offense with a .369 average, good for second overall in the HL. Ricardo Ramirez has a team-best 36 RBI and a League-high 17 doubles.
UIC pitchers have League-best marks in strikeouts (332) and batting average against (.257) while owning a 4.92 ERA. Game one starter, Connor Ryan is third in the League in ERA at 2.54, behind UIC reliever Trevor Lane who has accrued a League-best 1.72 ERA. Game two starter, Ian Lewandowski, has tossed a team-high 71.2 innings and owns a 4.14 ERA.
LAST TIME AGAINST UIC: UIC won two of three games against Northern Kentucky in a series April 8-10 at Bill Aker Baseball Complex to lead the all-time series, 2-1. The Norse cruised to a 12-6 win over the Flames in game two after posting 14 total hits led by Dominic Mercurio's 4-for-5 showing with two runs scored and a pair of RBI. Ganns went 5-for-12 with two RBI overall in the series, while UIC's Scott Ota went 6-for-13 with two doubles, a triple and home run on the weekend.
SCOUTING THE CRUSADERS: Valparaiso, currently ranked second in the League, enters the weekend on a three-game skid and travels to Wright State for a doubleheader on Friday before hosting the Norse on Sunday. The squad has consistently led the Horizon League in batting average (.281) this season and is second in runs scored, averaging 6.1 runs per game. Nolan Lodden has a .353 batting average and .441 on-base percentage. Shea Molitor leads the Horizon League in RBI with 44.
The pitching staff owns a 4.34 ERA. Opponents are batting .275 against the staff. Game one starter Mario Losi is 3-5 with a 5.14 ERA in 56.0 innings pitched while the expected starter for game two, Ellis Foreman, has tossed 24.2 innings with a 5.11 ERA.
LAST TIME AGAINST VALPO: The Crusaders lead the all-time series, 4-2, after Valpo swept the Norse in NKU's home-opening weekend March 18-20 this season. Valpo opened the three-game set with a 5-4 win in 10 innings. Lodden paced the Valpo offense in the teams' first meetings this season with a 6-for-12 showing and two RBI. Mercurio went 6-for-13 with an RBI against Valpo.
NATIONAL RECOGNITION: Ganns, a sophomore left-handed pitcher and infielder, was tabbed by Collegiate Baseball as a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week after striking out 14 batters in 7.2 scoreless innings pitched against Milwaukee. The southpaw held the Panthers to four hits, all singles, and allowed just two baserunners to advance into scoring position. His 14 punchouts were the most for an NKU pitcher since 2011 and came just three shy of NKU's all-time program record set by Kyle Pfetzer in 2000. Ganns was also named the College Sports Madness Horizon League Player of the Week.
REACHING REGULARLY: Quint Heady is riding a team-high six-game hit streak with nine hits in that span. The senior has reached base in 33 of his 39 games this season and is on a seven-game reached base streak. Logan Spurlin and Kyle Colletta have also reached with regularity this season. Spurlin recently saw a 22-game on-base streak come to a close. En route to posting a team-high .315 average this season, the catcher has recorded a hit in 31 of his 42 games, reaching base in all but five contests. Meanwhile, Colletta has reached in 37 of 43 games played and had a streak of 13-straight games.
UP NEXT: The Norse wrap up a nine-game road swing with a midweek tilt at crosstown rival Xavier on Tuesday, May 10 at 3 p.m.
