BOX SCORE

SAUGET, Ill.- Two ninth-inning runs ended the University of Indianapolis baseball team's conference title hopes Sunday, as Northern Kentucky topped UIndy 5-3 in the finals of the 2009 Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament at GCS Ballpark.  The GLVC East rivals heading into the ninth deadlocked at 3-3, but a pair of runs off a taxed UIndy staff proved to be too for the Hounds.

UIndy senior Jordan Tiegs showed good command in the early going.  He racked-up five Ks through two innings, including striking out back-to-back GLVC first teamers in Evan McDole and Kevin Dusold in the first.

Meanwhile, Tiegs was staked to a two-run lead in the bottom of the first when senior Ben Sondgeroth drove an 0-1 delivery to the flag pole in right center.  The resulting runs were Sondgeroth's 10th and 11th RBI in the tourney, putting him just four ribbies shy of the program's single-season record.

After Tiegs cruised through two frames, NKU threatened in the third. The Norse recorded three straight singles to load the bases with just one out, but Tiegs K'd Dusold on three straight pitches for the second time of the game and then induced a grounder to first to escape with no damage.

The potent NKU offense finally got to Tiegs in the fifth, however.  A single from leadoff man Jason Cisper was followed by an RBI triple from McDole to get the Norse on the board.

McDole's triple proved to be the only hard-hit ball of the frame, but Northern managed to plate two more runs.  With the infield in, Adam Akin corralled a grounder to short, but had problems getting it out of his mutt.  The play was ruled a hit and allowed McDole to cross home plate.

A stolen base, an intentional walk, and a hit batsman loaded them up with one out for third baseman Jeff Bohlen.  Tiegs got the ground ball but the Hounds couldn't turn two, as the last of three NKU runs iscored in the fifth.

In the ensuing Greyhound half, the Hounds came back undiscouraged as back-to-back singles and an error made it second and third with nobody down.  Pinch hitter Matt Murphy garnered an RBI on a fielder's choice to knot it at three and chase starter Ryan Schmidt, but NKU reliever Kevin Jordan came on and notched a strikeout to end the threat.

The start of the sixth marked the end of Tiegs' outing, as junior Cory White took the hill. Tiegs finished with eight Ks and three earned runs allowed in five innings.

White, who threw 5.2 innings in game one of this tournament, retired the Norse in order in the sixth, with help from a nice over-the-shoulder catch from third baseman Travis Capps in foul ground.

White held the Norse scoreless until the top of the ninth.  With the score still knotted at three apiece, a leadoff double from Cisper sparked a timely two-run rally.

In the bottom of the ninth, a single from Scott Mourey brought the tying run to the plate with nobody down.  The Hounds failed to convert, however, as Cory White took the loss.

UIndy now awaits the announcement of the 2009 NCAA Midwest Regional field, scheduled for Sunday night.  The Hounds entered the week in the fifth spot in the regional poll, and with GLVC Tourney wins versus the region's No. 3 team (Southern Indiana), No. 4 team (Rockhurst) and No. 8 team (Bellarmine), they have high hopes of hearing there name called.  The top six teams from the Midwest will compete for the regional championship starting next week.