DAYTON, Ohio – The Northern Kentucky baseball program's record-breaking season rolls on as the Norse set up a winner take all game on Saturday for the Horizon League Regular Season Championship with an 8-2 victory over conference rival Wright State on Friday afternoon.
 
NKU, who continues to set and reset the NCAA Division I era record in wins with their 32nd victory of the year, has now won four straight contests to go with wins in six of their last seven games overall.
 
The Norse and Raiders find themselves tied atop the conference standings at 19-10 in Horizon play with just one game left to go in the regular season. The winner of Saturday's contest will clinch the Horizon League title to go with the No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament.
 
It would be the first Horizon League title for the Norse in program history.
 
THE BASICS
FINAL: Northern Kentucky – 8, Wright State – 2 (9 innings)
LOCATION: Nischwitz Stadium – Dayton, Ohio
RECORDS: NKU 32-21 (19-10 HL), WSU 30-22 (19-10 HL)
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Jake Paulick paced the Norse offense with a 1-for-4 outing that featured a game-best three RBI and a game-high two runs scored.
- Cleary Simpson also had a big day with a 3-for-5 effort to go with two RBI.
- Treyvin Moss (2-for-5), Brennan Rowe (1-for-3, one run) and Tyler Shaneyfelt (1-for-3, one run scored, one steal and one walk) each knocked in a RBI for the Norse, respectively.
- John Odom (1-for-3), Liam McFadden-Ackman (one walk), Mitch Wood (one base on balls) and Ryan Kilpatrick also added a run in the victory.
- Tanner Gillis picked up the win on the mound, his seventh of the season, with his third straight quality start. He went six innings in this one with four strikeouts and just five hits and two earned runs allowed. Over his last three starts, Gillis has gone 19 innings with 19 punch outs to go against 11 hits and just three earned runs.
- Aaron Boster closed things out with three scoreless frames to record his first save of the year. He posted six strikeouts and did not allow a hit. He hasn't allowed a run over his last six innings pitched.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Wright State jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with two home runs in the bottom of the first. It would be the only offense the Raiders would muster over the remainder of the game.
- Northern Kentucky moved ahead with a four-run top of the fourth to make it a 4-2 game. Shaneyfelt and Paulick each recorded a RBI off fielder's choices before Simpson sent a two-RBI single down the left field line to bring in Rowe and Paulick.
- The Norse broke the game open with four more runs in the top of the eighth. Paulick struck again, this time with a two-RBI double which was followed by RBI singles from Rowe and Moss to give NKU an 8-2 advantage.
- That is all the Norse would need as NKU slammed the door over the last two innings to collect the 8-2 victory.
 
NEXT UP
It all comes down to this as the Norse and Raiders battle for the Horizon League title on Saturday, May 18. First pitch is set for 1 PM ET and fans and supporters looking to make the short drive to cheer on NKU will enjoy free admission for the conference clash at Nischwitz Stadium.
 
 
FOLLOW NKU NORSE BASEBALL
Get in the game and follow Northern Kentucky's NCAA Division I college baseball team through @NKUNorseBSB on X (Twitter), @NKUNorseBSB on Instagram, nkunorsebsb on Facebook and subscribe to the NKU Norse Youtube channel.