HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University baseball team welcomes Miami (Ohio) to Bill Aker Baseball Complex for a 3 p.m. Tuesday matchup before the Norse travel to Dayton for a 4 p.m. first pitch on Wednesday at Woerner Field.

Tuesday's game against the RedHawks will be broadcast live on ESPN3 with streaming available on computers, tablets and smart phones through WatchESPN and the ESPN App. Wednesday's game will be streamed live on the A10 Network while live audio with broadcaster John Asalon will also be available. Links to all broadcasts and live stats are available on NKUNorse.com

Gameday Information
Miami (Ohio) RedHawks (5-16, 1-2 MAC)
at Northern Kentucky Norse (8-13, 3-0 Horizon)
Tuesday, March 27 – 3 p.m. | Bill Aker Baseball Complex
MU: So. RHP Cole Gnetz
NKU: Jr. RHP Brody Basilone

Northern Kentucky Norse
at Dayton Flyers (8-13, 1-2 A10)
Wednesday, March 28 – 4 p.m. | Woerner Field
NKU: Jr. RHP Pierce Knisley
UD: TBA
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Norse won one game of a three-game series at the University of Cincinnati this past weekend. NKU starter Pat Kelley allowed just one run in 7.0 innings pitched to lead the Norse to a 3-2 win in game two of the set. The junior held the Bearcats to just four total hits, two of which came in the first inning. NKU dropped the opener, 9-1, and posted five runs across the final two innings of game three, but ultimately fell, 13-7. Freshman Shane Paradis went 2-for-2 with a two-run home run and a two-run double after subbing in at shortstop in the sixth inning of the finale.

QUICK HITS:

• The Norse have not lost a game this season when leading after seven innings. They are 6-0 when leading through seven and 7-0 when leading through eight.
• In the last eight games, NKU is 5-3. Jake Richmond owns a .433 batting average with eight RBI and three home runs in that span. Kyle Colletta is batting .348 with eight RBI in the last eight games as well.
• NKU has 10 home runs in the last 10 games, three of which belong to Richmond.
• Northern Kentucky is 1-1 in midweek contests this season and has posted a .323 average while holding opponents to .210 batting in those games.
• Reliever Cameron Ross has made a Horizon League-leading 13 appearances out of the bullpen. In his last seven showings, Ross has thrown 10.0 innings without allowing an earned run. One unearned run crossed against the right-hander in that span. He has allowed just seven hits, only one for extra bases, and has fanned seven while walking two in his last 10.0 innings of work. He is 2-0 with two saves in his last four outings.
• Richmond and Dominic Mercurio are tied for fifth in the League in batting average at .333. Richmond has reached base in 17-straight games, while Trey Ganns and Mercurio have reached in 15-straight and 14-straight, respectively.

ON THE MOUND: The Norse will send right-hander Brody Basilone to the bump against the RedHawks on Tuesday. In his first season with the Norse, the junior has made seven appearances and one start. He owns a 5.56 ERA in 11.1 innings pitched. He made his first start against EKU last week and threw 2.2 innings. Fellow junior right-hander Pierce Knisley is coming off a strong outing against Miami last week where he tossed 6.0 innings, giving up just two runs and three hits while fanning four in his first start of the season. Knisley will get the start at Dayton on Wednesday and enters the week with 8.2 innings pitched and a 7.27 ERA across four appearances.

SCOUTING THE REDHAWKS: The Norse are coming off a 6-3 win over Miami (Ohio) in midweek action last week, on March 22 in Oxford, Ohio when Trey Ganns slapped a three-run double with the game locked in a 3-3 tie in the top of the ninth to win the game. The victory was NKU head coach Todd Asalon's 500th as the Norse head coach. The RedHawks have won one of their last six and opened Mid-American Conference play last weekend, winning 1-of-3 at home against Western Michigan.

Adam Yacek leads the offense with a .364 average and has started in all but one contest. Nine of Yacek's 24 hits have been for extra bases including eight doubles and one home run. He is also the team's RBI leader with eight runs batted in. Five different players have at least six RBI this season. Ross Haffey follows Yacek with a .263 average and seven RBI. As a team, Miami is batting .208 while opponents are averaging .283 against the RedHawk pitching staff, which owns a 6.16 collective ERA.

Anticipated starter Cole Gnetz will be making his seventh appearance and fifth start. He has pitched 9.0 innings and has a 0-3 record with a 14.00 ERA.

SCOUTING THE FLYERS: Dayton enters the week matching NKU with an 8-13 overall record. The Flyers are 5-4 at home this season. They opened Atlantic 10 play against Richmond at home this past weekend, winning the opener, 6-5, before dropping the final two games. The squad is hitting .232 while opponents are averaging .293. The pitching staff owns a 6.28 ERA.

Maverick Prine leads with a .300 average and has started 13 of UD's 21 games. Connor Echols has started all but one contest and owns a .289 average and is tied with Robbie Doring for a team-high 13 RBI. The squad has belted 17 home runs in 21 games, split among 10 different players. The defense has turned 32 double plays in its 21 games while the Flyers rank in the top-35 in the NCAA stolen bases (35) and stolen bases per game (1.67).

SERIES HISTORIES: With NKU's win over the RedHawks last week, the Norse are now 3-15 against Miami all-time and have won each of the last two matchups, which included a 5-1 win on April 5 of last season at NKU. The teams have met just three times since 2004, with last season's game being the first meeting between the two squads since NKU transitioned to Division I.

The Norse lead the all-time series against Dayton, 12-7. The series dates back to 1979 when NKU won the first meeting, 3-2. Head coach Todd Asalon is 3-1 against Dayton with NKU winning each of the last two meetings. The Norse claimed a 10-8 victory over the Flyers at Dayton on March 12, 2015 and defeated the Flyers 4-1 in 11 innings in the most recent meeting on April 20 of last season at the Bill Aker Baseball Complex.

ON DECK: NKU continues Horizon League play this weekend with a three-game home series against Youngstown State. The set will be broadcast live on ESPN3. The opener is set for 3 p.m. on Friday. The series will continue at 1 p.m. on Saturday and will conclude Sunday with a 12 p.m. first pitch.