HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – A 10-run fifth inning gave Northern Kentucky a lead it did not relinquish as the Norse picked up a 20-9 win over Milwaukee on Saturday afternoon.
 
Jake Paulick had three of his four RBIs in the fifth inning, while Brennan Rowe and Logen Devenport also drove in two runs apiece in the frame for NKU.
 
Teige Lethert had his first home run as a Panther with a three-run blast in the fourth inning. The home run gave Milwaukee its lone lead of the game at 4-3 after falling behind by three runs over the first two innings.
 
"The early part of the contest was a good baseball game until we got into the fifth inning," noted head coach Shaun Wegner. "Adrian Montilva battled with a high pitch count through 3 2/3 innings and gave us a chance when he turned the ball over. Camden Kuhnke got a big out to get us into the fifth."
 
Montilva needed 92 pitches to get through the first 11 outs for Milwaukee as he struck out a career-high eight batters, while yielding the first three Northern Kentucky runs.
 
After Lethert gave the Panthers the lead, NKU scored 10 runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 13-4 advantage.
 
"I was disappointed with our mentality and competitive fire once we relinquished the lead in the fifth inning," added Wegner. "Ultimately, it's my responsibility to have our team hungry and fighting until the final out."
 
MKE responded with a five-run sixth inning including a two-run single by Gabe Roessler, who led the Panthers with three RBIs on the game. Sean Tillmon, Carson Hansen, and Zach Lane also drove in runs in the sixth.
 
Northern Kentucky added seven more runs over the final three innings, before the game ended in the bottom of the eighth with a two-run triple off the bat of Jake Altman, who ended the contest with three RBIs for the Norse.
 
Clay Brock got the win for Northern Kentucky as he went 5 1/3 innings, and surrendered seven Panther runs while striking out two. Andrew Mulhern allowed just one hit and two walks over the final two innings for NKU.
 
"You can't take anything for granted in this game or you will be humbled quickly like we were today," Wegner finished. "Tomorrow the sun will come up and we need to show up ready to compete."
 
Milwaukee and Northern Kentucky wrap up their three-game set on Sunday with the game slated to begin at 11:00 a.m. (CT) at the Bill Aker Baseball Complex.