HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY. – Bouncing back from a Saturday loss in Game 2, the Jacksonville University baseball team showed resiliency in the conclusion of the Atlantic Sun Conference series with Northern Kentucky on Sunday claiming the rubber match 6-5. 

Shane Wise threw 2.1 innings for his second save of the year while Nathan Disch recorded a career-high seven strikeouts in 4.1 innings pitched. Connor Marabell (2-for-4) drove in two runs to push his team leading season total to 45 RBI. Angelo Amendolare (2-for-3) continues hitting white-hot with his 23rd multi-hit effort. 

Disch ran into a jam in the fifth inning, when the Norse tied the game (3-3). He would eventually give way to Gregory Shannahan who entered with two aboard and one out before inducing two fly outs highlighted by a sliding catch by Cameron Gibson to limit the damage.

Shannahan (3-2) claimed the victory after pitching 2.1 innings, while Wise struck out three batters, and set the bottom half of the ninth down in order. Another threat was silenced by Wise when in the eighth inning, the Norse loaded the bases only to be hung out to dry.

"Shannahan gave it all he had," said head coach Tim Montez of his freshman's 2.1 innings out of the pen. "A lot of credit goes to him, he just ran out of gas. Wise really grew up today and became a division I closer type pitcher. He did a great job of picking us up."

The Dolphins (21-25; 7-8 A-Sun) claimed their second-conference series victory and move into the sixth seed with two series to play, a full two games ahead of the Norse (17-27; 5-10) for the final playoff position.

Drew Luther (2-for-5) opened the seventh inning with a single and would score the go-ahead run driven in by Marabell. Another run would score for the Dolphins as Nick Beard walked in a run scored by Amendolare who walked earlier in the inning. 

The three run lead was taken into the bottom half of the seventh where the Norse pulled to within one and had the tying run was 90 feet away. Wise closed the door in a hurry however as his 2-2 pitch fanned Ryan Lefevers for the final out. 

To lead off the eighth, Luther tagged a double into center field. The lineup would load the bases with one out, but admiringly, Cody Cooper, having pitched 8.1 innings the day before (138 pitches), forced a double-play to escape the jam.

Cooper threw two and two thirds innings on Sunday and allowed no earned runs and struck out two Dolphins while throwing 45 total pitches.

Jacksonville took the lead for good in the sixth inning as Gibson scored on a double play ground out after reaching on an error to start the inning. 

"It was a great team win on the road," said Montez of his team. "A lot of credit goes to these young men for hanging tough and getting an important win in conference."

Jacksonville returns to action with a two game series at FIU on Tuesday and Wednesday before heading up to Kennesaw State for three games next weekend.

@JUBaseball | #FearTheFin