HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky baseball team (17-30, 14-24 Horizon League) dropped both games of a Saturday doubleheader to UIC (28-16, 27-11 Horizon League) at the Bill Aker Baseball Complex. But, Griffin Doersching put on a display with a trio of long balls in game two, breaking NKU's 31-year-old single-season home run record.
GAME 1: UIC 5, Northern Kentucky 4
AT THE PLATE
ON THE MOUND
- Nick Noble (L, 1-5) was atop the bump for the first 3.1 innings. He allowed four runs, two hits and four walks, while punching out three.
- Bryce Smith recorded a pair of hits, allowing a hit and a walk.
- Kaleb Meeks closed out the game, yielding the winning run on two hits and two walks.
KEY MOMENTS
- UIC was the first on the board in the first with an RBI groundout.
- Wakeham led off the Norse half of the second with a walk and Moss doubled down the right-field line to make it two runners in scoring position. A groundout by Bacon allowed Wakeham to plate and tie the game.
- After three more runs in the fourth by the Flames, the Norse remained in striking distance after a walk by Bacon and then a homer toward left-center by Fisher on the ensuing at-bat.
- UIC tacked on a run of insurance in the final inning, proving to be the difference maker. NKU had Marion lead off with a walk in the seventh, followed by a Bacon triple to get one score.
GAME 2: UIC 24, Northern Kentucky 10
AT THE PLATE
- Doersching went 3-for-4 in the game with a walk. All three of his hits escaped the outfield fence, breaking NKU's single-season home run record with 20 this year. John Heeter previously held the record at 18 in 1990.
- Bacon (1-for-5, 3 RBI) batted his second home run of the afternoon.
- Odom (3-for-4) also had three hits in the game, two of which were doubles.
- Moss (2-for-3, BB) and Marion (2-for-5) each turned in two-hit performances.
- Jackson Haas (1-for-2), Sam Hedges (1-for-5) and Noah Fisher (1-for-5) also had a hit apiece.
ON THE MOUND
- Noah Richardson started the game, going 1.2 innings and allowing three earned runs on four hits and four walks.
- Kyle Klingenbeck (L, 6-6) was on the mound for the next 4.1 innings, yielding five earned runs on eight hits.
- Tyler Ollier retired two batters, giving up two runs.
- J.T. McGee allowed five runs in as many batters faced.
- Kurt Lange and Michael Bohlen each went two outs, allowing two runs.
- Tyson Shaw finished out the game with an inning of work, giving up two runs.
KEY MOMENTS
- Like in game one, UIC plated one in the opening frame.
- NKU's half of the first featured a leadoff infield-single by Hedges, followed by a Doersching homerun toward left-center.
- The Flames added three runs in the second and another in the third.
- Doersching led off NKU's half of the third and hit his second homer of the day, clearing the centerfield wall with ease and making it a 5-3 ballgame.
- UIC extended its lead by another run in the top of the fifth, but the Norse tied things up in the same frame. Odom was the first Norse up to bat in the inning and doubled to centerfield. Doersching was intentionally walked, but the Flames couldn't avoid damage being done as Bacon homered to left field on the next at-bat.
- A three-run homer, a double and a triple gave UIC four runs in the sixth. The Flames then went on a run-frenzy and plated seven more an inning later.
- With none one, Doersching crushed another ball, this time down the left-field line, in the seventh for his third home run of the contest.
- Five UIC runs plated in the eighth.
- Marion, Fisher and Haas each batted doubles in the eighth to go along with a Moss hit-by-pitch to score three more runs for the Norse.
- The Flames added two more runs in the final inning.
UP NEXT
- The Norse wrap up the 2021 season against the Flames on Sunday at noon and will celebrate their seven seniors, as well as head coach Todd Asalon's retirement. Due to technical difficulties, the ESPN+ broadcast has been canceled.
