Final Score: Lipscomb: 15, Northern Illinois University: 3
Location: Nashville, Tenn. (Ken Dugan Field)
Records: Lipscomb: 7-4, NIU: 0-11
THE SHORT STORY: Consistent offense and stellar defense led Lipscomb to a 15-3 victory over Northern Illinois Sunday afternoon at Ken Dugan Field. The Bisons finished off its first series sweep of the season and improved to 7-4 on the year.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After
Ike Buxton retired the Huskies in order with a pair of strikeouts, the Bisons came out hot offensively. Johns Shields worked a leadoff walk and
Maddux Houghton followed it up with a triple for a 1-0 lead after the first two batters. Lipscomb wasn't done as
Malik Williams delivered a sacrifice fly and
Mason Lundgrin singled through the left side for a 3-0 lead.
The Huskies Got a couple of base runners in the top of the second but a double play and ground ball got Buxton and the Lipscomb defense out of the inning unscathed.
The offensive flurry continued in the bottom of the second with three more Lipscomb runs. With two outs, Houghton started the Lipscomb rally with a walk.
Trace Willhoite singled through the right side to put Houghton on third where he would eventually score on a wild pitch for a 4-0 lead. With two runners in scoring position, Maxwell cleared the bases with a single to center field for a 6-0 Lipscomb lead after the second.
After posting another zero in the top of the third, The Bisons continued the trend and scored three in the bottom of the third.
Caleb Ketchup started things out with a one-out bunt single. Another
John Shields single set up Houghton who plated both base runners with a single through the left side for an 8-0 Lipscomb lead. Willhoite kept the momentum going with an RBI single of his own, giving Lipscomb a 9-0 lead after three complete innings.
The Bisons plated one more in the bottom of the fourth. A pair of walks gave the Bisons a couple base runners and Shields made the NIU pitching staff pay with a single through the right side to bring one of the walks home for a 10-0 lead through four innings.
After a couple of scoreless innings, the Huskies finally cracked the scoreboard with three runs in the top of the seventh, cutting the Lipscomb lead 10-3.
The Bisons responded with more offense in the bottom of the inning, getting all three runs back. Ketchup led off with a walk and Shields followed that up with a laser down the right field line that left the ballpark for a 12-3 lead. Willhoite batted another in with a base knock to shallow center field for a 13-3 lead. Lipscomb's offense continued, adding two more runs when
Chaz Bertolani worked a bases-loaded walk and
David Coppedge delivered a sacrifice fly, making it a 15-2 lead.
Tyler Legere and
Trey Nordmann combined for two scoreless innings in the top of the eighth and ninth to preserve the Lipscomb victory and series sweep over NIU.
HERD NOTES
- Shields went 3-for-4 with three RBI and a walk.
- Willhoite also had three base knocks and two RBI.
- Houghton was 2-for-3 on the afternoon to go along with two RBI and two walks.
- Buxton finished his outing, going six innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three.
UP NEXT
Lipscomb will be back in action Tuesday, March 8 at 3 p.m. as they travel to Austin Peay.
