The loss capped off a three-game weekend series against St. Joseph’s, The Norse lost two of the three games.
NKU once again got solid pitching, however the offense, which got eight hits in the game, was unable to string enough hits together to add to the scoring column.
“This should’ve been our game,” said Head Coach Todd Asalon. “The bottom line is that we just aren’t getting timely hitting, and without that we haven’t been able to drive in many runs.”
The Norse’s lone run came in the bottom of the 1st inning, when junior second basemen, Shaun Erie singled to left field scoring Matt Dolan. The offense couldn’t get started after that for the Norse, as they collected just five hits, and failed to score in the final nine innings of the game.
The pitching kept NKU in the game as junior Chris Unkraut pitched six strong innings, giving up three hits and allowing one unearned run. Fellow junior Brad Baker replaced Unkraut in the seventh inning. Baker also pitched well, giving up two hits and not allowing a run in two innings.
The St. Joseph’s offense sparked in the top of the tenth inning. Right fielder Scott Mertes led off the inning with a single up the middle off of pitcher Chad Anderson. After a strikeout and another single, pinch-hitter Mike Eagen hit into a fielder’s choice, scoring the go-ahead run and putting the Pumas up for good. St. Joseph’s would score three more times in the inning, sealing the victory and raising their record to 13-12 on the season.
“With a team ERA of under 3.00, our pitching has been great,” said Asalon, “we just aren’t catching many breaks.”
The loss lowers NKU’s record to 13-10 on the season, and 7-4 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Norse still find themselves in second place in the conference, tied with Indianapolis, and a half a game behind University of Missouri-St. Louis. St. Joseph’s is in seventh place, with a 5-5 record in the conference.
NKU continues its season as they travel to play a double-header at the University of Dayton on Wednesday. They have another tough series next weekend at home as they meet up with conference foe, University of Wisconsin-Parkside. The double-header on Saturday starts at noon.