HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. — Friendship Field saw its first walkoff winner of 2025 on Saturday, as the Northern Kentucky baseball team evened the series with Eastern Illinois to set up a rubber match on Sunday.
Jake Paulick provided the walkoff winner, smashing a no-doubt home run to left-center field.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Northern Kentucky - 6, Eastern Illinois - 5
LOCATION: Friendship Field (Highland Heights, Kentucky)
RECORDS: Northern Kentucky: 7-6 (0-0 Horizon) | Eastern Illinois: 4-7 (0-0 OVC)
BOX SCORE BREAKDOWN - PITCHING
- Conner Linn got the start for NKU and pitched a great game. The lefty threw 5.2 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits and a walk. Linn struck out a season-high eight batters.
- Evan Fry replaced Linn and threw 2.1 innings, allowing a pair of runs and striking out four.
- Aaron Massie got the win, throwing one inning and allowing one run. He stranded the go-ahead run at third base to end the top of the ninth.
BOX SCORE BREAKDOWN - BATTING
- Logen Devenport once again starred for NKU, finishing 3-4 with a double, a homer, and a pair of RBI. He scored three times and also stole two bases.
- Jake Paulick's only official at bat was his walk-off home run, as he finished 1-1. Paulick had a sacrifice fly and was hit by three pitches.
- Josh Williams finished 2-3.
- Sam Bond, who ranks among the national leaders in HBP, was plunked with the bases loaded for an RBI.
- Brennan Rowe finished 2-4.
- Jake Altman doubled as part of a 1-3 day.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Norse got started early, as Logen Devenport doubled down the left field line to drive in Tyler Shaneyfelt in the first.
- After EIU tied the game, Devenport came up big once again in the third with a solo shot to left center.
- Jake Paulick drove in Devenport with a sac fly in the fifth to grow the lead to 3-1.
- EIU plated a run in the sixth, but NKU got it right back when Sam Bond was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Brennan Rowe beat the throw on a potential inning-ending double play to score another run.
- The Panthers didn't go away quietly, scoring three runs combined in the eighth and ninth, but Jake Paulick sent the home crowd home happy with his second home run of the year to win it for the Norse.
UP NEXT
- NKU and EIU are set to battle on Sunday in a rubber match, with the first pitch set for 1 PM.
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.
