INDIANAPOLIS-  The UIndy baseball team (24-14, 13-13 GLVC) split a doubleheader with division-rival Northern Kentucky Saturday, 2-1 and 3-9, thanks in part to a complete-game win from pitcher Donovan Drake in game one.


GAME ONE | Box score
Drake (3-3) out-dueled NKU ace Dave Middendorf, as both went the distance in the closely-contested opener.  Drake allowed just one runner to get as far as second through the first seven innings and pitched around a leadoff double in the eighth before the Norse (20-17, 10-12) scrapped across their lone run in the final frame.

Drave, who needed 116 pitches to get 27 outs, used an effective breaking ball to keep the Norse hitters off balance, especially on the inner half to the NKU righties.  In fact, he was just one strike away from his first nine-inning shutout as a Greyhound, but a two-out, 0-2 check swing from first baseman Shannon McCormick fell for a bloop single and allowed Bryan Rose to score from second.

Drake fanned the next NKU hitter, finishing him off with the high cheese to record his ninth and final strikeout of the day.  He allowed just six hits and one walk to help lower is season ERA to 3.45.

Meanwhile, the Greyhound offense managed just enough production to get the win.  Senior Aryn Ross notched both RBIs for the Hounds, with the first coming on a solo homerun in the fourth.

UIndy's second run came in the sixth after a perfectly executed bunt by Andrew Armour put runners at first and third with no outs.  Ross followed with the sacrifice fly to center to score Kaleb Cunningham and give the Hounds all the runs they would need.


GAME TWO | Box score
UIndy scored three runs combined in the first and second innings to keep the pressure on the Norse, but the visitors answered with two in the fourth and three in the fifth to take their first lead of the day.

After a shaky start, NKU starter Andy Heston pitched scoreless baseball for the final five innings to push his record to a stellar 7-0.  Heston, a former reliever, finished with a line of six hits, three runs, three walks and four Ks in the complete-game performance.

Down two in the bottom of the sixth, UIndy got a leadoff single from Chris Saroff but was unable to cash in.  The Norse later hung four insurance runs on the board in the seventh to help ensure the split.


NKU stays in town another day for an Easter Sunday twin bill.  First pitch from Greyhound Park has been moved  to noon Eastern.