The University of Kentucky baseball team used four-run innings in each game of a doubleheader to sweep Northern Kentucky University at Cliff Hagan Stadium on Sunday in nonconference action.
Kentucky (12-3) held off a late rally by NKU (2-11) in the opener for a 7-6 victory before handing the Norse a 9-4 loss in the nightcap.
Dorian Hairston went 3-for-3, drove in one run and scored two times to lead Kentucky in the opener. Zach Arnold finished 3-for-4 with a double, while JaVon Shelby recorded a two-hit, two-RBI game for the Wildcats.
Dustin Beggs (2-1) earned the victory, allowing three earned runs on five hits with eight strikeouts in seven innings of work. Jack Spencer recorded his second save of the season after striking out the last Norse batter of the game with the tying run on third.
Kentucky used a two-run third inning to begin the scoring the opener. A two-run single by Kai’ai Tom allowed Connor Heady and Hairston to score for a 2-0 Wildcats lead, but Cole Bauml’s second home run of the season cut the Norse deficit in half in the top of the fourth. Marcus Carson answered in the bottom half of the inning as he grounded into a double play as Ryan Mahan scored to push Kentucky ahead, 3-1.
After a scoreless fifth, Bauml sent a two-out single into left-center field, and he proceeded to steal second base. Kyle Colletta followed with a 1-2 single through the left side, and Bauml scored to bring NKU to within one run once more before a four-run outburst from the Wildcats pushed the Kentucky advantage to 7-2.
The Norse slowly chipped away at the Wildcats’ lead the rest of the way. In the top of the seventh, a Brad Bohlen single brought Ryan LeFevers, who also reached base with a single of his own, home to pull NKU to within four (7-3) runs. Bauml added his third run of the game in the eight after he was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning before stealing second. A two-out single to right field by Trey Ganns brought Bauml home as the Norse trailed 7-4.
NKU made the game interesting in the final inning. LeFevers sent a one-out double down the right-field line before advancing to second on the next play, which saw Bohlen called out. Dominic Mercurio followed with a 3-2 infield single, and LeFevers came home to pull the Norse to within 7-5.
Bauml then recorded his 14th double of the season to bring Mercurio home to make it a one-run (7-6) ballgame. Bauml advanced a base on a wild pitch, putting the tying run on third, but a strikeout ended the rally for NKU.
Bauml led the way for the Norse offense in the opener, going 3-for-4 from the plate with two RBIs and three runs scored, while LeFevers went 2-for-4, stole one base and scored twice. Justin Watts (1-1) took the loss for the Norse after surrendering two earned runs on four hits with four strikeouts in three innings of work.
In the nightcap, Kentucky took advantage of a pair of early NKU errors to plate two runs for a 2-0 advantage after the second inning. The Wildcats brought home two more runs on three walks and two hit batters to stretch their lead to 4-0.
Bauml blasted his second home run of the day, a 3-2 shot over the right field wall, with one out in the top of the sixth inning to cut into the Norse deficit, but a double by Greg Fettes scored Mahan for a 5-1 Kentucky lead after seven innings.
The Wildcats added four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning before Logan Spurlin scored on a throwing error by Mahan in the top of the final inning to cut the Kentucky advantage to 9-3. LeFevers then scored on an RBI-single by David Head to for the final margin of the game.
Fettes went 2-for-3 from the plate with one RBI and one run scored to lead the Wildcats effort, while Shelby finished 2-for-4, batting in a run and scoring once. Mahan drove in two runs and scored twice for Kentucky. Kyle Cody improved to 2-1 on the mound, allowing one run on four hits with eight strikeouts in seven innings.
Head finished 2-for-4 to lead the Norse, while Bauml’s home run stretched his hitting streak to 23 games dating back to last season. Bohlen, Logan Spurlin, David Head and Caleb Lonkard each recorded hits as well. Ganns (0-1) pitched two innings in his first collegiate start, and he gave up two runs, one earned, on three hits with one strikeout over two innings of work.
NKU travels to Dayton, Ohio, on Tuesday to open its 2015 midweek action against Dayton.
First pitch from Woerner Field at Time Warner Cable Field is set for 4 p.m. The Norse are scheduled to begin the home portion of their schedule on Wednesday when they welcome IPFW to the Bill Aker Baseball Complex at 3 p.m. Links to live stats and John Asalon’s broadcast are available at NKUNorse.com.
From NKU Athletics