Richmond’s grand slam keys NKU baseball team’s 8-6 victory over No. 6 UK on Wednesday

NKyTribune staff

Jake Richmond’s grand slam in the fourth inning sparked the Northern Kentucky University baseball team to an 8-6 victory against No. 6 Kentucky on Wednesday in Lexington, snapping the Wildcats’ eight-game winning streak.

With UK holding a 2-1 lead in the fourth, Richmond sent a drive over the left-center field wall with the bases loaded to give NKU a 5-2 advantage. The Norse added three runs in the fifth inning to extend their lead to 8-2.

A three-run homer by UK’s Tristan Pompey in the bottom of the eighth cut the Norse lead to 8-5. The Wildcats’ Troy Squires hit a solo home run in the ninth inning to make the score 8-6, and UK later brought the tying run to the plate.

NKU pitcher Joe Martin struck out the final two batters to preserve the Norse victory. It marked just the second time that the NKU baseball program has defeated a nationally ranked team since its move to Division I.

NKU defeated then-No. 12 Kentucky on March 29, 2016, by a final score of 5-4 for its other victory against a nationally ranked opponent.

The Norse’s Chad Roberts was 3-for-5 with a home run, a double and two runs batted in, while teammate Will Haueter went 2-for-3 with two doubles, two walks and a run scored. NKU starter Sam Williams earned the win by going five innings, allowing just three hits and two runs (one earned). He also struck out five batters.

The Norse stranded 11 runners in the game, and the Wildcats left eight on base. NKU improved to 3-9, while UK is now 12-2.

UK will play host to No. 3 Texas Tech this weekend in a battle of top 10 teams, beginning Friday in Lexington. NKU meets Miami (Ohio) in a three-game series that starts Friday in Oxford, Ohio.