Ben Higgins and Mac Ayres Guide ‘Dons to League Win over NKU

Friday, March 24

Fort Wayne, Ind.

3 PM

Purdue Fort Wayne

5-17, 2-3

Northern Kentucky

11-9, 3-1

Northern Kentucky

Purdue Fort Wayne

Photo by: Rachel Von Art

Ben Higgins and Mac Ayres Guide ‘Dons to League Win over NKU

3/24/2023 6:42:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score Photo Gallery

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Ben Higgins hit a grand slam and Mac Ayres threw 5.1 scoreless innings in Purdue Fort Wayne's 6-5 victory over Northern Kentucky on Friday (March 24) afternoon at Mastodon Field in Horizon League play.

All six Purdue Fort Wayne runs came in the fifth inning.

The first run came around on a Tyler Nelson single to score Cade Nelis. Run two came on a bases loaded walk by Braedon Blackford to score Nelson. Higgins then stepped to the plate and took the first pitch he saw over the left field wall for a grand slam. He has two home runs on the season.

It was scoreless to start the bottom of the fifth because of the outing by starting pitcher Mac Ayres. He came out in the sixth to get one out, finishing with 5.1 innings of scoreless work. Ayres allowed three hits and one walk with six strikeouts. He is now 1-1 on the year after earning his first collegiate victory.

NKU made it tighter with a five-run eighth inning. Bryce Martens earned a fly out to end the threat. Martens also induced a double play in the ninth but was relieved after a walk. JD Deany came in and capped off the game with a strikeout. It is Deany's first collegiate save.

Clay Brock took the loss for NKU. He is 3-1.

Higgins finished with two hits on the day. Nelson also had two hits while adding a double.

Purdue Fort Wayne improves to 2-2 in the Horizon League and 5-17 overall. NKU is now 3-1 in league and 11-9 overall.

The two clubs will continue the three-game Horizon League series on Saturday (March 25).

~ Feel The Rumble ~