INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. –  The Northern Kentucky University baseball team fell to Butler on Tuesday by a final score of 9-5. The Norse fall to 10-29 on the year, while the Bulldogs improve to 19-18.   

AT THE PLATE

• Griffin Doersching batted 2-for-3 at the plate with a home run, a double, and three RBI.
• Will Haueter was 2-for-5 with a home run and two runs scored.
• Jayden Wakeham went 1-for-3 with an RBI.
• Noah Fisher was also 1-for-3 in the contest.
• Cole Heavilin added a double in the eighth inning.

ON THE MOUND

• Proctor Mercer got the start on the mound.  He allowed three runs on four hits and four walks. He also struck out two hitters.
• Noah Richardson (L, 0-4) came out of the bullpen to relieve Mercer. He gave up three runs (two earned) on a hit and three walks, while also striking out a batter.
• Kaleb Meeks allowed three runs on a hit and three walks. He also struck out two batters.
• Joe Martin threw two scoreless inning in relief. He gave up just a walk, while striking out one hitter.  
• Gunnar Barnard also pitched two scoreless innings on the mound, allowing just a walk.

 
KEY MOMENTS

• The Norse took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first. Sam Hedges reached on an error, and he moved to second on a single by Haueter. Doersching stepped up to the plate in the next at-bat and blasted a three-run homer.
• Butler got a run back in the bottom of the first. Robbie McCargar's single scored Zach Jarosz.
• NKU added a run in the top of the third to go ahead 4-1. Jake Murray walked with two outs in the inning. He advanced to second on a wild pitch, and came home on Wakeham's RBI single.
• The Bulldogs cut the NKU lead to 4-3 in the bottom of the third. With the bases loaded, Butler got back-to-back walks from Sam Russo and Maison Stites, which brought home two runs.
• Butler crossed the plate three times in the bottom of the fourth to go ahead 6-4. James Gargano reached on an error, which allowed Kyle Smith to score. With the bases loaded, Connor Dall walked, bringing home McCargar. The final run of the inning came from Gargano, and he scored on a wild pitch.
• The Bulldogs extended their lead to 9-4 in the bottom of the fifth. Harrison Freed's RBI single brought home Jarosz. Later in the frame, Gargano hit a sacrifice fly, which gave Smith the opportunity to score. The final run of the inning came from Freed, who crossed the plate on a wild pitch.
• Haueter hit a solo home run for the Norse in the top of the seventh to make the score 9-5.

GAME NOTES

• The Norse had a 7-6 advantage in hits.
• Each team committed an error.
• Doersching's home run was his ninth of the season and 22^nd of his career. He ranks eighth all-time at NKU in career homers as just a sophomore.

UP NEXT

• NKU travels to Milwaukee for a three-game Horizon League series beginning on Friday, April 26. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT.