HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky baseball (17-27, 14-21 Horizon League) will play its final games of the regular season looking for a spot in the Horizon League Tournament this weekend at the Bill Aker Baseball Complex. On Sunday, the Norse will recognize head coach Todd Asalon, as well as eight seniors that are graduating from NKU.  
         
NORTHERN KENTUCKY vs. UIC 
Friday, May 21 – Bill Aker Baseball Complex – 12:00 p.m. ET – ESPN+     
Saturday, May 22 (DH) – Bill Aker Baseball Complex – 11:00 a.m. ET – ESPN+        
Sunday, May 23 – Bill Aker Baseball Complex – 12:00 p.m. ET – ESPN+           
        
SERIES HISTORY         
UIC currently leads the series by a commanding margin of 20-5, but Northern Kentucky is the most recent winner, taking an 8-5 victory earlier this season on April 9. 
   
LAST TIME OUT         
The Norse split a four-game series at Milwaukee, coming out on top in the first two of the weekend. Ben Gerl and Kyle Klingenbeck each had incredible performances in their respective starts. Gerl went eight innings in game one and allowed just two earned runs, while Klingenbeck tossed his first nine-inning complete game and surrendered just one run. On the hitting side of things, Griffin Doersching and Sam Hedges were electric in the series. Doersching batted in eight runs thanks to three home runs and a 5-for-13 (.385) clip. He was also walked a whopping six times in the series. Hedges was 6-for-15 (.400) on the weekend, hitting two for an extra base.   
    
SCOUTING UIC 
In the 16 games since the Norse faced the Flames last, UIC has won 15 of them, dropping just a single 1-0 result to Youngstown State on April 30. Even more impressive, UIC is averaging 17.6 runs in its last five games, proving to be an incredibly tough opponent to a Norse team on the outside looking in for a Horizon League Tournament spot. Bryan Rosario leads the Flames and is batting at a blistering .413 rate, while five other players are batting .316 or higher on the season. Most notably in that group are Matt Botcher (.364/.636/.441, 32 RBI) and Joshua Figueroa (.331/.520/.385, 41 RBI). Jacob Key (6-3, 2.26 ERA), Ryan O'Reilly (4-5, 5.31 ERA) and Bobby Nicholson (2-0, 5.52 ERA) will start for UIC in the first three games, respectively.  
         
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 .299/.715/.477 slash line and a Horizon League-leading (10th in country) 16 home runs. With a combination of his newfound pitch-pickiness and frightening power, he currently leads the Horizon League and ranks second in the country with 47 walks on the year. At 44 career home runs, he is the sole owner of second in the all-time record books and is within striking distance of John Heeter's 48. He is also fifth all time for the Norse in RBIs with 146. Doersching has also been named the seventh-best draft-eligible hitter by D1Baseball.      
          
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 4-6 on the year, he's gone at least five innings on the mound in all but one game and dished 5.3 strikeouts an appearance. Klingenbeck has been just as lethal, pitching three complete games and allowing two runs or less on six occasions.   
   
RICHARDSON'S ASCENT     
After starting the year primarily as a reliever, Noah Richardson has taken his pitching to an entirely new level, winning as the starter in three of his last seven appearances, grabbing a three-inning save in another, dishing a five-inning, three-run no-decision performance against Butler on May 2 and a six-inning complete game against Milwaukee. Before a tough outing against Wright State, he allowed just five earned runs across 26 innings pitched, while fanning an impressive 31 batters for an electric 10.7 K/9. In his start against Youngstown State on April 16, Richardson went all nine innings atop the mound, allowing two runs on six hits and no batters walked.    
 
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 .288 clip and his 24 RBIs are second to Doersching's 41 for the Norse. He also has the most multiple-hit games (12) for NKU this season.        
  
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 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 564-582-1 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.