Northern Kentucky University Norse baseball ended its season on May 21 with a 5-3 loss to Oakland in the Horizon League Baseball Championship elimination game at Nischwitz Stadium in Fairborn, Ohio.
The defeat followed an earlier loss to Milwaukee and marked the conclusion of Northern Kentucky’s campaign, finishing with a record of 25-30. The team struggled offensively against Oakland, managing only three hits and drawing ten walks while stranding eleven runners on base.
After two scoreless innings, Oakland took the lead in the third inning with an RBI single during a two-out rally. The Golden Grizzlies extended their advantage by scoring three more runs in the fourth inning, aided by two hits and an error that resulted in two unearned runs. Northern Kentucky responded by loading the bases in the fifth inning and scoring three runs through five consecutive walks but was unable to mount further offense for the remainder of the game. Oakland added another run in the eighth inning to secure their victory and advance.
Norse pitchers delivered strong performances despite the loss. Logan Wilson started for NKU, allowing just one earned run over four innings while striking out five batters. Cody Little provided relief for over three innings, giving up one run on three hits with two strikeouts. Gabe Stout finished out the contest with nearly two scoreless and hitless innings.
Jackson Wang contributed offensively by going one-for-three at bat with a walk and a run scored. The Norse did not record any extra-base hits during this matchup.
The conclusion of this game brings Northern Kentucky’s season to a close as Oakland moves forward in tournament play.
