ROCHESTER, Mich. – Northern Kentucky baseball extended to a five-game winning streak within Horizon League play with a 12-11 victory over Oakland to kick off a three-game series with the Golden Grizzlies. With the victory, NKU moves to 22-31 overall and 15-13 in League play, while Oakland dips to 15-36 (11-17 HL).
At the Plate
- Thursday's game showcased both teams' hitting abilities, with Oakland and NKU combining for more than 30 hits as the Golden Grizzlies recorded 16 while the Norse had 15.
- Both Conor Ledger and Brad Bohlen went 3-for-5, with Ledger driving in three runs while Bohlen had two RBI for the Norse. Ledger recorded his first home run of the season with a two-run homer in the second.
- Jake Richmond went 3-for-6 in the leadoff spot, driving in one run.
- Trey Ganns had a strong outing with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate courtesy of an RBI triple and a solo home run, also drawing three walks.
- Dominic Mercurio also posted a multi-hit performance, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and a pair of runs scored.
On the Mound
- Jean-Francois Dionne made his 10th start of the season, pitching 4.0 innings with five runs allowed, three of which were unearned, on seven hits. The senior struck out three batters and walked two.
- Travis Rowland came on in the fifth, tossing through the sixth with just two hits allowed while striking out a pair of batters and walking a pair. He earned the win, moving to 2-2.
- Seth Rosenberg put in an inning of work for NKU, striking out one while the Golden Grizzlies scored two runs on as many hits.
- Cameron Ross closed out the game for NKU, striking out two and walking two while allowing four runs on five hits.
Key Moments
- NKU went up 3-0 after the first inning and a half thanks to an RBI triple from Ganns and a two-run home run from Ledger, his first of the season and second of his career.
- The Golden Grizzlies quickly answered back in the bottom of the second, plating three runs to knot the score.
- Oakland jumped ahead in the next frame thanks to a pair of unearned runs, and the Norse began to chip away at the deficit in the fourth with an RBI single up the middle from Richmond.
- Both Roberts and Ganns drew walks early in the fifth and were sent across the plate courtesy of a double from Mercurio, who was later driven in off a single by Bohlen.
- Bohlen and Ledger added another RBI apiece to their stat lines, each singling to help the Norse extend the lead to 9-5 in the sixth.
- Oakland scored for the first time in four innings with a two-run homer in the seventh, bringing the Golden Grizzlies within two.
- Ganns added a home run for insurance in the eighth, and the Norse retired the Golden Grizzlies in order in the bottom of the frame before a throwing error allowed Richmond and Ledger to put the Norse ahead 12-7 in the final inning.
- Oakland threatened NKU's five-run lead as the Golden Grizzlies plated four runs and loaded the bases with two outs, but the Norse were able to close out the inning on a fielder's choice.
Norse Notes
- TJ Alas extended his hitting streak to 14 games and has reached base in the past 44 contests.
- Richmond continues to lead the Horizon League in runs scored, crossing the plate for the 48th time this season.
- With his 14th home run of the season, Ganns moves into a tie for second in the League in the stat category and ties Alas for the top spot in League-only games, with 11. The two sit atop the standings by a three-home run margin.
Up Next
- The series with Oakland continues tomorrow with a 1 p.m. first pitch from Rochester, Michigan.
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