HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Completing the three-game Horizon League weekend sweep, the Northern Kentucky Norse defeated the Oakland Golden Grizzlies, 9-3, on Sunday, April 16 at Friendship Field at the Bill Aker Baseball Complex.

Possessing a one-game lead over the Wright State Raiders for the top spot in the conference standings, Northern Kentucky improves to 21-13 (11-4), while the Golden Grizzlies are now 14-21 and 7-8 in the Horizon League.

Allowing four runs on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts over four innings in his eighth start of the season, redshirt senior right-hander Bryce Kontizer took the loss Sunday, dropping him to 1-3.

Junior Brandon Decker, a fellow righty, worked the final four frames, giving up five runs on seven hits with a pair of walks.

Moving to 4-1, right-handed Vandalia, Ohio sophomore Kaden Echeman earned the win for the Norse, scattering five hits over six shutout innings while walking two and striking out eight.

Hitting three home runs in the first two innings Sunday, Northern Kentucky jumped out to a 4-0 lead and stretched it to 6-0 after seven stanzas.

Oakland first appeared on the scoreboard in the eighth with a single by junior designated hitter Ryan Dykstra and added their final two runs in the ninth on a home run by graduate student first baseman Gabe Lux, his first of the year.

Despite not tallying a run until the eighth, the Golden Grizzlies did rack up 10 hits, with redshirt sophomore center fielder Drew Collins, Dykstra, junior catcher Brandon Heidal and graduate student second baseman Jared Miller recording two apiece.

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Returning to the Oakland Baseball Field after four consecutive road contests, the Golden Grizzlies will next be in action on Tuesday, April 18 against the Mid-American Conference's (MAC) Bowling Green Falcons at 2:30 p.m.