TJ Alas at Campbell plug
Bennett Scarborough (Scarborough Photography)
5
Winner Northern Kentucky NKU 1-1
3
Campbell CAM 1-1
Winner
Northern Kentucky NKU
1-1
5
Final
3
Campbell CAM
1-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Northern Kentucky NKU 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 1 5 9 0
Campbell CAM 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 8 1

W: Martin, Joe (1-0) L: TYSON, Wyatt (0-1) S: Rowland, Travis (1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Melissa Powell, NKU Athletic Communications

@NKUNorseBSB bullpen seals 5-3 win at Campbell

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The Northern Kentucky baseball team earned its first victory of the 2017 campaign on Saturday against Campbell, 5-3. NKU continuously erased one-run deficits until Norse pitchers held Campbell scoreless for the final three innings and a two-run seventh gave NKU a lead it would not relinquish.

The win evens both teams' records and the three-game series at 1-1.

At the Plate
  • Rightfielder TJ Alas and catcher Will Haueter clubbed two hits apiece and each scored a run to lead the offense. Haueter also added one RBI.
  • Third baseman Dominic Mercurio drove in NKU's insurance run and went 1-for-3 at the plate.
  • Designated hitter Chad Roberts scored twice, including the go-ahead run in the seventh, and reached base in each of his plate appearances. He went 1-for-1 with four walks.
On the Mound
  • NKU starter Pat Kelley tossed five innings and allowed two runs, one earned. Campbell managed six hits, five of which were singles, against the junior who struck out three and walked one.
  • Joe Martin (1-0) made his debut as a Norse and picked up the win, relieving Kelley to start the bottom of the sixth. Martin tossed two innings and gave up a pair of hits and one run, unearned.
  • Cameron Ross contributed a scoreless and hitless eighth inning.
  • Travis Rowland, who also made his debut as a Norse, earned the save after striking out the side in the bottom of the ninth to preserve the victory.
  • The staff only issued two total walks.
Key Moments
  • Northern Kentucky took its first lead of the 2017 season with a two-run top of the seventh. Haueter clubbed a one-out single and the Norse loaded the bases on a pair of walks. Haueter tied it up on a passed ball followed by a wild pitch that pushed Roberts across the plate to give NKU a 4-3 advantage.
  • Mercurio slapped a two-out RBI single for NKU's insurance run in the top of the ninth. He drove in Billy Marion who pinch ran for Roberts.
  • The Norse lead came after Campbell took control early, plating an unearned run in the opening frame for a 1-0 lead.
  • NKU knotted it up at 1-1 in the top of the third. Haueter pushed Alas across the plate with an RBI single. Alas reached on a leadoff double and advanced to third on a Trey Ganns fly out to deep centerfield.
  • Campbell immediately responded, plating a go-ahead run on a groundout in the bottom of the frame to give the Camels a 2-1 lead that lasted for the next two innings.
  • In the top of the sixth, Roberts drew a walk and scored the game-tying run on a Campbell error. However, the Camels again had an answer, taking another one-run lead at 3-2 on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning after Martin relieved Kelley.
  • The Campbell lead would be erased in the top of the seventh when the Norse took the lead.
Norse Notes
  • The Norse have been errorless in both games to start the season.
  • Haueter, a sophomore, has started the season with a .444 batting average and team-best two RBI on 4-for-9 hitting.
  • NKU's lead-off batters are reaching base at a .500 clip.
  • Ten different Norse have at least one hit so far this season.
  • With Martin and Rowland making appearances out of the bullpen on Saturday, eight of NKU's 12 newcomers have made an appearance just two games into then.
Up Next
  • The series finale and rubber match is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday at Campbell's Jim Perry Stadium.
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