HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Golden Grizzlies dropped its Horizon League season opener against the Northern Kentucky Norse, 18-8, in eight innings at the Bill Aker Baseball Complex.
 
The Golden Grizzlies (6-11, 0-1 HL) were led by three separate batters who brought in a pair of runs, as Gavin Arseneau and Aidan Orr led the way with two hits each. Arseneau tabbed the only triple for Oakland as Orr followed with the team's sole double. Lucas Day was the only other Golden Grizzly with an extra base hit as he hit one out of the park.
 
The Norse (9-8, 1-0 HL) had a trio of players record four RBI as two more added to the total with at least two. Four batters also grabbed four hits as the team hit a handful of home runs, two of which coming from Mitch Wood.
 
The team got off to a quick start, as Reggie Bussey led off with a walk and proceeded to race from first to home as Aidan Orr drove him in off a double. The Golden Grizzlies sole run would be the only one of the board through three as the Norse opened things up in the bottom of the fourth. Northern Kentucky loaded up the bases with one out and took advantage of the opportunity as the team collectively hit for the cycle as a single, triple, double and home run all brought in runs.
 
The Norse kept it coming in the following inning as it hit its second home run of the day, a two-run home run, to make the Golden Grizzlies deficit eight. Day answered with a homer of his own in the sixth, but the Norse answered once again with back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the innings to increase its lead, 12-2.
 
The Golden Grizzlies inched closer to a comeback in the seventh as it grabbed four runs to cut its deficit to six. Areseneau started things off as a single brought Trent Rice home as another single brought in a run, this time from Ian Cleary, as Oakland still had two outs to work with as the bases were loaded. Hain ripped one towards the outfield as Orr and Arseneau raced home for the third and fourth run of the inning to make it 12-6.
 
The Norse grabbed one in the seventh to extend its lead to seven, as Oakland had six outs to make up ground. Arseneau kept up his play as a triple brought Drew Gaskins home, followed by a single by Orr to drive him on, but five runs by the Norse forced the run rule as the Golden Grizzlies fell, 18-8, in eight innings.
 
The Norse outhit the Golden Grizzlies, 18-8, as Oakland left seven runs stranded on the base pads. Each team committed an error as the Norse tacked on 12 extra base hits, with five doubles, two triples and five home runs. The Golden Grizzlies did lead in the strike out category as it sent four batters back to the dugout, compared to the Norse's three.
 
The Golden Grizzlies return to the diamond and look to grab its first Horizon League win tomorrow (March 16) as it faces off against the Norse once again at the Bill Aker Baseball Complex, with first pitch set for 1:00 p.m. ET.