Four Norse relievers combined for 9.2 scoreless innings on Wednesday while Tito Montgomery scored the game-winning run on a Dayton error in the bottom of the 11th inning to lead the Northern Kentucky University baseball team to a 4-3 walk-off win over the Flyers.
Charlie Jerger entered the game with one out in the third and twirled a season-high 5.2 scoreless innings with five hits, no walks and two strikeouts.
Aric Harris posted 2.0 scoreless frames with three hits and two strikeouts while Alex Bolia chipped in a scoreless inning of work to pick up the win.
NKU (15-22) tied the game on a Quint Heady sacrifice fly with one out in the bottom of the ninth. Heady scored Billy Marion who pinch ran for Trey Ganns after he reached on a leadoff single.
In the bottom of the 11th, Montgomery drew a leadoff walk and scored on a Dayton throwing error forced by Anthony Vagnier to win the game.
Offensively, Trey Ganns, Logan Spurlin and Will Haueter posted multi-hit showings.
Dayton (13-25) scored all three of its runs in the top of the second on a pair of walks and a sacrifice fly before the NKU bullpen shut down the Flyers.
The Norse offense was quiet until the sixth inning when three-straight hits including RBI knocks from Spurlin and Ganns cut the Dayton lead to 3-2 before the Norse knotted the game at 3-3 in the ninth, forcing the game into extra innings.
NKU returns to action on Friday for a doubleheader against Horizon League foe Oakland in Rochester, Michigan. First pitch is set for noon with game one set to air on ESPN3.
NORSE NOTES:
· Jerger improved his team-leading ERA to 2.76 with his season-high 5.2 innings of work. The junior has allowed nine earned runs in 29.1 innings this season and has totaled 11.2 scoreless innings in midweek games.
· The Norse batted .353 (6-of-17) with two outs and advanced runners 11 times in 17 opportunities for a .647 clip.
· Spurlin’s on-base streak was extended to 21 games after the senior catcher went 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI.
Wright’s Wear too much for NKU
The Northern Kentucky University softball team could not find an answer offensively for Wright State’s Montana Wear, as the Norse dropped a 5-0 decision to close out a midweek Horizon League series on Wednesday evening.
Zahrya McFarland picked up a double while Jordan Harbacek and Kate Bartolovich each picked up hits in the contest for the Norse, who fell to 9-33 overall and 2-12 in Horizon League play.
Wright State (29-17, 13-2 Horizon) opened the scoring in the first inning when Honnah Susor tripled and scored. The Raiders added runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings for insurance. Susor and Becca Peterson each picked up two hits for Wright State as well.
Charlie Nolen (4-12) took the loss for the Norse, surrendering three runs on six hits and striking out one in five innings. Wear (6-9) struck out eight batters and scattered three hits in the win for Wright State.
The Norse stay in Horizon League play this weekend as they hit the road for a three-game series at Cleveland State. Friday’s opener begins at 4 p.m. before the teams close the series with a noon doubleheader on Saturday. All the action from the weekend series will be carried live on ESPN3.
From NKU Athletics