Down 4-3 in the seventh inning, Brennan Rowe stepped up to the plate with both the tying and winning run on base. Eager to avoid a series sweep, Rowe loaded, strided and swung the bat for the fences, hitting a three-run home run that put the Norse back in front.
NKU went on to win 7-4, keeping pace with Wright State, who currently sits atop the Horizon League.
Entering the series against the Raiders, the Norse’s record sat at 15-13; just a half a game better than Wright State, who sat at 15-12. However, NKU struggled in conference play, sitting at 5-5. The Norse desperately needed a series win, losing the previous two, and the Raiders needed to notch one just as much.
In game one, Wright State’s offense came up big, scoring 19 runs powered by a six-spot in the seventh and a five-spot in the ninth. The Norse kept pace with the Raiders through the first six innings, being down 6-5 entering the seventh.
Tyler Shaneyfelt, Josh Williams and Braydon Rogers all recorded home runs in what looked like a bounce-back game offensively after being shut out against Southern Indiana last Tuesday.
While the offense bounced back, the pitching did the opposite, allowing at least one run in all but two innings. Starting pitcher Kaden Echeman surrendered five runs on six hits, walking three through just 4.1 innings of work.
Out of the bullpen, relievers Logan Wilson and Aaron Massie gave up two runs each through just three innings of combined work. In the ninth, reliever Gerald Hanson entered, trying to shut the red-hot Wright State offense down 1-2-3 for the first time all game.
Hanson’s efforts were far from a successful relief appearance, surrendering five runs on four hits, through just one inning pitched. This proved to be the final blow, as the Norse dropped the first game of the series 19-5.
In game two, history repeated itself as NKU found themselves in a six-run hole four innings in. Starting pitcher Conner Linn gave up two runs in the first inning, three runs in the second inning and one more run in the fourth inning.
Only two of Linn’s runs were earned, as the Norse committed two errors with him on the mound.
NKU clawed back into the game, scoring six runs in the fifth and sixth innings, courtesy of Marcus Harrison and Logen Devenport two-run home runs, along with a two-run single by Rowe that tied the game entering the seventh inning.
After pitching a clean inning in the sixth, reliever Noah Sackenheim surrendered three decisive runs that won the game for Wright State, 9-6.
In game three, the Norse were at risk of a series sweep. After Nolan Sparks walked and Jake Paulick reached on an error, the stage was set for Rowe. With one swing of the bat, Rowe launched a towering home run to put NKU up 6-4.
This was the sixth home run hit by the Norse in the series, but none were more crucial than the one off of Rowe’s bat.
NKU pitching shut down the Raiders, delivering three shutout innings by Wilson and Bobby Bartlett, allowing one hit across 3.1 innings of work. The Norse not only avoided the sweep, but also earned Head Coach Dizzy Peyton his 100th career win in doing so.
NKU currently sits at 16-15 overall, with a 6-7 record in conference play. The Norse’s consistency struggles continue as they seek to find the resiliency that was so prominent early in the season.
The Norse will go on the road against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels next Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. as they seek to strike even in conference play.