LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Northern Kentucky baseball led through four innings against No. 2 Louisville on Wednesday at Louisville Slugger Field, but the Cardinals plated five runs across the fifth and sixth frames to defeat the Norse, 6-4. NKU out-hit Louisville, 10-9.
The Norse dip to 15-25 while Louisville improves to 35-6.
At the Plate
- Trey Ganns led NKU at the plate with a 3-for-4 showing while Chad Roberts and Mike Moffatt each had two hits and one RBI apiece.
- Roberts also added two runs scored.
- TJ Alas posted one RBI, coming on his ninth home run of the season.
On the Mound
- Seven Norse pitchers saw action on Wednesday.
- Starter Brody Basilone faced the minimum while tossing the opening frame.
- Joe Martin relieved Basilone and threw a team-high 2.0 innings with two hits, one walk and a strikeout. The duo combined to hold Louisville scoreless through the first three innings.
- Jordan Menfee also threw a scoreless inning, holding the Cardinals to one hit in the seventh.
Key Moments
- NKU scored in each of the first three innings.
- TJ Alas homered to left-center to hand NKU a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
- Following Basilone's 1-2-3 bottom of the first, Roberts scored on a passed ball after reaching on a leadoff single and advancing on a Brad Bohlen single and a wild pitch in the second.
- Ganns doubled to lead off the top of the third and scored on a Roberts RBI double. Roberts was then pushed across the plate on a single off the bat of Moffatt for a 4-0 Norse lead through two and a half.
- Louisville scored three run in the fourth on a pair of homers to cut the Norse lead to 4-3.
- NKU threatened in the fifth with a pair of singles, but struggled to score as the Cardinals took their first lead of the game, 5-4, with a two-run homer in the fifth.
- An RBI single in the eighth sealed the victory for Louisville.
Norse Notes
- Menfee has allowed four earned runs in his last 17.0 innings pitched, spanning six outings.
- TJ Alas extended his on-base streak to 31 games.
- Ganns has had a multi-hit showing in three of the last five games and has a team-best 17 multi-hit games this season.
- NKU has hit a home run in six-straight games.
Up Next
- The Norse return home this weekend for a three-game set against Wright State at Bill Aker Baseball Complex. The series opener against the Raiders is set for 3 p.m. on Friday and will air on ESPN3.