HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky baseball (10-15, 9-10 Horizon League) will square off with Youngstown State (16-15, 11-9 Horizon League) in a four-game set this weekend at the Bill Aker Baseball Complex.
    
NORTHERN KENTUCKY vs. YOUNGSTOWN STATE 
Friday, April 16 – Bill Aker Baseball Complex – 12:00 p.m. ET – Live Stats   
Saturday, April 17 (DH) – Bill Aker Baseball Complex – 11:00 a.m. ET – Live Stats  
Sunday, April 18 – Bill Aker Baseball Complex – 12:00 p.m. ET – Live Stats  
   
SERIES HISTORY    
NKU holds the series lead at 16-7. It has been nearly two years since the Norse and the Penguins have faced, with Youngstown State winning the last matchup, 8-2, on April 19, 2019. 
    
LAST TIME OUT    
UIC took the first-two games of a three-game series last weekend, while NKU won the final game, 8-5. Four different Norse collected two hits in the contest, with Sam Hedges and Noah Fisher being noteworthy for batting a pair of extra-base hits and a home run, respectively. Ben Gerl (W, 2-3) went 5.1 innings, yielding four runs, and Noah Richardson picked up the three-inning save.  
 
SCOUTING YOUNGSTOWN STATE 
The Penguins have no shortage of good hitting this season as seven hitters that see regular playing time are batting .289 or higher. Phillip Glasser, a junior infielder, paces YSU's offense with a commanding .352/.509/.438 slash line, while Steven D'Eausanio is the power hitter to watch out for with a team-best six homers on the season. LHP Colin Clark (3-4, 7.65 ERA) will lead off the weekend on the mound, followed by LHP and Horizon League strikeouts leader Collin Floyd (5-2, 2.06 ERA), RHP Nick Perez (2-1, 8.04 ERA) and Jon Snyder (3-2, 4.42 ERA).  
    
PROBABLES    
Gerl (2-3, 6.93 ERA) remains the Friday starter for NKU. Kyle Klingenbeck (3-3, 6.62 ERA) will start the seven-inning game one of the doubleheader, while Noah Richardson (2-0, 3.51 ERA) will be on the mound for game two. Sunday's starter is still to be announced.  
    
HOME-RUN KING    
NKU returns the 2019 College Home Run Derby Champion for his senior season. Doersching, took the 10th annual prize in Omaha, Nebraska, after clubbing 20 home runs to Tyler Keenan's (Ole Miss) 15 in the final round. In the 2019 season, Doersching smacked 13 out of the park, had a .503 slugging percentage and drove in 44 runs. He has been a machine this season, carrying a .310/.738/.482 slash line and 10 home runs. With a combination of his newfound pitch-pickiness and frightening power, he currently leads the Horizon League with 27 walks on the year. At 37 career home runs, he is the sole owner of second in the all-time record books and is chasing John Heeter's 48.      
  
MOSS GROWS ON THE SIDE FACING HOME    
After a solid freshman season that saw him hit .297, outfielder Treyvin Moss picked up where he left off a season ago. He currently bats at a .326 clip and an even better .385 rate with runners in scoring position. His 19 RBIs are second to Doersching for the Norse and he has the most multiple-hit games (eight) for NKU this season.   
  
ONE-TWO PUNCH   
The Norse arguably have their best game one and game two starting-pitcher combination in the Division I era this season. Although Gerl is just 2-3 on the year, he's gone at least five innings on the mound in all but one game, dished six strikeouts an appearance, and has yielded more than four runs just twice. Klingenbeck has been just as lethal, pitching two complete games and allowing two runs or less on three occasions.    
   
NOTHING TASTES BETTER THAN BACON    
Andrew Bacon came alive in the 2020 season, ending it on a 13-game hitting streak. The senior carried a .303/.470/.342 slash line, smashed out a Horizon League-leading three home runs, and batted in 15 runners, which also led the league. He is currently hitting .253 with 12 RBIs and 15 runs scored, but after a slow start to this season Bacon has hit .320 (16-of-50) in the last 14 games.   
 
NEW YEAR, NEW NORSE    
In total, 10 players joined the Norse over the offseason: Camden Brandt, AJ Clegg, Gerl, Lucas Gulczynski, Michael Hall, Liam McFadden-Ackman, Josh Romans, Tyson Shaw, Bryce Smith and Bryce Thomas.     
    
ONE FINAL RIDE    
On Feb. 26, head coach Todd Asalon announced that the 2021 season will be his last as he is retiring at season's end. Now in his 21st year with the Norse, Asalon owns a 558-570-1 record. He guided the Norse through its Division I transition, which began in the 2013 season, and helped NKU post its winningest Division I season in 2017 with a 25-33 record. Prior to the Division I era, he led NKU to the NCAA Division II tournament in eight-consecutive seasons.     
    
Joining Asalon on his staff are his assistants and former Norse Dizzy Peyton (14th season) and Pat Hyde (sixth season). Accompanying them is Matthew James, who is in his second season with NKU.