HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky baseball (14-22, 11-16 Horizon League) will travel to Rochester, Michigan for a four-game series at Oakland (12-23, 6-18 Horizon League) this weekend.
NORTHERN KENTUCKY at OAKLAND
Friday, May 7 – Rochester, Mich. – 2:00 p.m. ET – Live Stats
Saturday, May 8 (DH) – Rochester, Mich. – 11:00 a.m. ET – Live Stats
Sunday, May 9 – Rochester, Mich. – 12:00 p.m. ET – Live Stats
SERIES HISTORY
The Norse are on top in the all-time series, carrying a 17-12 mark. NKU faced the Golden Grizzlies earlier this season in a four-game set from March 12-14, winning the final three games.
LAST TIME OUT
Northern Kentucky took a break from Horizon League action and faced Butler in a Sunday doubleheader. The Norse took game one, 6-4, pulling off a two-run comeback in the final inning to force the game into extras, where a throwing error and a single by Sam Hedges plated the final two runs to win. Kyle Klingenbeck took the victory in the matchup, dishing the final two innings and allowing just a walk. Butler fought back in game two for the split with a 3-0 victory.
SCOUTING OAKLAND
Since facing the Norse last, Oakland has gone 5-15, with four of those wins coming against Milwaukee over the course of two separate series. The Golden Grizzlies are led by Michael Stygles (.343/.481/.410), Cam Post (.336/.443/.386), Tyler Trovinger (.333/.488/.447) and Lorenzo Elion (.326/.435/.417). INF Jared Miller has been the slugger for Oakland, drilling three homers thus far to go along with six other extra-base hits. Bryce Konitzer (3-1, 4.80 ERA) will get the Friday start, followed by Jacob Wosinski (0-0, 4.00 ERA) and Andrew Hill (1-5, 8.44 ERA) in Saturday's doubleheader. Sunday's starter is 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 .291/.658/.468 slash line and a Horizon League-leading (39th in country) 11 home runs. With a combination of his newfound pitch-pickiness and frightening power, he currently leads the Horizon League and ranks 11th in the country with 38 walks on the year. At 38 career home runs, he is the sole owner of second in the all-time record books and is chasing John Heeter's 48. Doersching has also been named the seventh-best draft-eligible hitter by D1Baseball.
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 .303 clip and his 20 RBIs are second to Doersching's 27 for the Norse. He also has the most multiple-hit games (11) 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 Ben Gerl is just 3-5 on the year, he's gone at least five innings on the mound in all but one game and dished 5.7 strikeouts an appearance. Klingenbeck has been just as lethal, pitching two complete games and allowing two runs or less on five occasions. He's coming off of a two-inning, one-walk appearance over Butler that helped the Norse pull off the 6-4 victory.
RICHARDSON'S ASCENT
After starting the year primarily as a reliever, Richardson has taken his pitching to an entirely new level, winning as the starter in three of his last six appearances, grabbing a three-inning save in another and dishing a five-inning, three-run no-decision performance against Butler on May 2. 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.
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 561-577-1 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.
