HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky University Norse baseball's opening Horizon League series with Milwaukee came down to a Sunday rubber match, as the Norse dropped the opener before bouncing back with a 13-run win on Saturday. As Northern Kentucky jumped out to an early 8-0 lead after the first inning, few could have predicted what occurred after, that being a five-hour, 45-minute baseball contest that lasted 14 innings. After four scoreless extra innings, the Panthers broke through in the 14th with a six-spot, sealing a series loss to open Horizon League play. 

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Northern Kentucky - 10, Milwaukee - 16 | 14 innings
LOCATION: Bill Aker Baseball Complex - Highland Heights, Ky. 
RECORDS: Northern Kentucky: 8-10 (1-2 HL) | Milwaukee: 4-15 (2-1 HL)

GAME SUMMARY
– Northern Kentucky couldn't have drawn up a better start, as the Norse scored eight runs on seven hits in the first inning, six of those being singles. Milwaukee got a pair back in the second, while the Norse endured a dry spell at the plate, getting put down in order in the second, third, and fourth innings. Elijah Green allowed just two runs in his five-inning start, and the Norse extended their lead back to eight in the fifth on an RBI groundout and sacrifice fly. Milwaukee began to claw back with two in the sixth and three in the seventh. In the eighth, the Panthers came up huge with a three-run homer to tie the game at ten. In extras, the Norse had their first chance with a runner in scoring position in the tenth, as Nolan Sparks stole second with two outs, but Josh Williams was bested in a lefty-on-lefty matchup as the game moved to the 11th, an inning in which neither team left a runner on base. After Gabe Stout put down the Panthers in order in the 12th, NKU loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom half of the frame, but couldn't get the winning run to cross. Milwaukee loaded the bases with one out in the 13th, but Tannis Lange coaxed a double play to end the inning. The Norse then did the same, loading the bases with one out, but stranded all three runners after the Panthers threw out a runner at home on a fielder's choice and got Zach Pomatto swinging. It all blew up on the Norse in the 14th as the Panthers dropped six runs on four hits, and the Norse didn't score in the 14th to end the game. 

BOX SCORE BREAKDOWN 
– Elijah Green had a solid start, throwing 5.1 innings while allowing four runs, five hits, and three walks, while striking out four. Following Green, the Norse threw seven relievers, with the most outstanding being Gabe Stout, who retired the first 10 batters he faced late in the game and finished with 3.2 innings pitched, no runs allowed, a hit, two walks, and a game-high five strikeouts. 
– At the plate, it was Pierce Bauerle leading the way for the Norse offense, as he finished 4-7 with a double, two RBI, a walk, and a run.
– Mark Nowak went 3-6 with a double, two RBI, and two runs scored.
– Marcus Harrison went 2-6 with a double, two runs, two RBI, and two walks. 
– Jake Paulick batted 2-4 with three walks and a run scored. 

UP NEXT
NKU is set to battle Louisville on Tuesday before traveling to Oakland on the weekend for NKU's second Horizon League series. 

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