OMAHA, Neb. — Northern Kentucky University slugger Griffin Doersching captured the Rocket Mortgage College Home Run Derby on Saturday night, becoming the first Norse baseball player to win the title.
The event showcased several of college baseball’s premier home run hitters, all of whom have ranked among the nation’s leaders.
Doersching joined an elite club as the 10th winner of the College Home Run Derby. Former champions include current New York Yankees superstar and 2017 American League Rookie of the Year winner Aaron Judge, who hit a MLB-best 52 home runs in his first full season in the majors. Judge took home the Rocket Mortgage College Home Run Derby the title in 2012.
NKU baseball standout Griffin Doersching captured the Rocket Mortgage College Home Run Derby on Saturday night in Omaha, Neb. (Photo by Steve Woltmann)
Doersching hit 14 home runs in the final 1:40 of the contest, including a run of eight straight. He is the first NKU baseball player ever invited to the participate in the Rocket Mortgage College Home Run Derby.
Doersching is on pace to become NKU’s all-time career home run leader, as he has clubbed 26 round-trippers in just two seasons with the Norse. He is currently fifth on NKU’s all-time list, two home runs away from tying Evan McDole (2007-10) for second place in program history.
John Heeter (1988-91) is NKU’s all-time leader with 48 career home runs.
This past season, Doersching hit 13 home runs as well as 13 doubles to lead NKU with a .503 slugging percentage. He improved to a .635 slugging percentage coupled with a .308 batting average during the Horizon League slate, with nine of his 13 home runs coming against a league opponent.
(From NKU Athletics Communications)
