By Dan Weber
NKyTribune sports reporter
Another six-run NCAA loss for NKU only Saturday’s was no contest as the Norse, in a loser’s bracket elimination game against Southern Mississippi in Knoxville, were not competitive at all, getting shut out and sent home on two hits.
But that’s not how NKU Coach Dizzy Peyton saw it as he looked at the entire history-making season for his team.
“What an unbelievable year,” he said of the Norse’s first-ever NCAA Division I tourney berth and a 35-24 record with a Horizon League Tournament championship.
“I’m completely overwhelmed with joy at the foundation these guys have built for our program,” Peyton said. “These guys fought to the very end . . . It’s been an absolute pleasure to be a part of this.”
But NKU’s NCAA Game 2 Saturday saw USM’s Niko Mazza (9-3) shut the Norse down on two hits for a 42-19 Southern Mississippi team. It was pretty much a no-contest day all around.
“You just have to tip your cap,” NKU’s Treyvin Moss said of the 93-95-miles-per-hour fastballs from Mazza. “He was hitting his spots and bringing it all day . . . we wish it ended another way but . . . he was keeping us guessing, he did a great job.“
NKU starter Ben Gerl (5-7) went 5 2/3 innings and took the loss.
Here’s the video link for the NKU postgame presser: NKU Baseball NCAA Post Game Presser 6.1.24 (youtube.com)
SCORING SUMMARY
SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI 0 0 0 2 0 3 1 0 0 – 6 8 0
NORTHERN KENTUCKY 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 2 1
WP: Mazza (9-3) LP: Gerl (5-7)