Raiders Take Down Norse – Peyton Gets 100th Career Win

The highly anticipated rematch of last season’s Horizon League Baseball Tournament final was in jeopardy of even being played with much of the region under severe weather watches and warnings and expected rainfall to reach levels not seen in years.

Mother Nature could not cancel the series and both teams were able to complete the 3-game set with the visiting Raiders leaving town after taking two-of-three at Bill Aker Baseball Complex.

The opening game of the series on Friday morning saw Wright State jump on the Norse early scoring runs in the first and third innings to take a 4-0 lead. NKU was able to chip away at the deficit as they plated two in the bottom half of the third highlighted by a Tyler Shaneyfelt homer to right field that plated Jake Altman ahead of him, pulling the Norse to 4-2.

After a scoreless top half of the fourth inning, Josh Williams got the Norse to within one with a homer to right center field. A Gabe Miranda sacrifice fly scored Braydon Rogers and NKU pulled even at 4-4.

Wright State added two more in the fourth and fifth innings before a Braydon Rogers homerun to deep left field made the score 6-5.

That would be the last an NKU player would cross home plate as Wright State scored thirteen unanswered to run away with Game 1 and post a 19-5 win. Kaden Echeman took the loss for the Norse to fall to 1-5 on the season. Braydon Rogers led NKU going 2-for-4 with a homerun and an RBI. Tyler Shaneyfelt was 1-for-2 with a homerun and a stolen base. Gabe Miranda was 1-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base.

Saturday’s scheduled Game 2 was cancelled due to the previously mentioned heavy rain setting up a doubleheader for Sunday.

Game 2 of the series saw the visiting Raiders jump out to an early 6-0 lead after four innings. The Norse were able to get on the board in the bottom half of the fifth inning a result of a two-run homerun by Marcus Harrison. Logen Devenport hit his ninth homerun of the season in the sixth inning with a two-run bomb to right field to score Game Miranda and the Norse deficit was 6-4.

A Brennan Rowe single to left field plated two more for NKU to allow the Norse to pull even at 6-6 heading to the seventh inning.

Much like game one, that would be all the Norse could manage from the plate as Wright State scored three runs in the top half of the seventh to secure a 9-6 win.

NKU looked to avoid the sweep in the series finale as they sent workhorse Aaron Boster to the mound. Boster would go 5 2/3, allowing four runs and striking out four on the day.

The Norse got on the board first as Gabe Miranda singled to right center to score Tyler Shaneyfelt. Wright State quickly answered with three runs of their own in the top half of the fourth to take a 3-1 lead.

A Rowe double to left center scored Nolan Sparks to cut the deficit to one. Devenport singled to left field, scoring Rowe and NKU found themselves back in the game with the score tied 3-3.

The Raiders took the lead back in the top half of the sixth inning but that was all they would score for the game. In the bottom half of the seventh, the Norse distanced themselves after a Rowe 3-run home run to put them up 6-4. Jake Paulick doubled to right in the bottom of the eighth to score an insurance run and account for the final margin as NKU salvaged the final game of the series with a 7-4 victory.

While the Norse win helped avoid a sweep, it was also the 100^th career win for head coach Dizzy Peyton. In his brief time leading the NKU Baseball program, Peyton has turned the Norse into a feared program within the Horizon League.

From Dizzy’s Desk:

When asked what the milestone 100^th career win meant to him, Peyton responded, “I honestly didn’t know it was the 100^th win of my career until after the game because wins and losses aren’t something I focus on. In this program, we’re about growth, development, and love. But all the credit goes to God, our coaching staff, support staff and the incredible players I have gotten to share those wins with.”

Next Up: NKU now stands at 16-14 overall and 6-6 in the Horizon League. They will head back out of conference for a road game with intrastate rival Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday, April 8^th before getting back to Horizon League play next weekend at Youngstown State.