HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Justin Hausser and Teige Lethert hit back-to-back home runs in the seventh inning, but it was not enough to overcome an early 6-0 deficit as Northern Kentucky salvaged the final game of the weekend set with the 6-2 victory.
 
NKU scored four runs over the first two innings before a pair of errors in the third allowed the Norse to tack on two more runs in the third.
 
"I thought we came out pretty flat and didn't replicate our energy from Saturday," said head coach Shaun Wegner after the game. "Defensively we had chances to limit some of the damage in the early innings and we didn't get it done."
 
Milwaukee was held to just three hits including two off the bat of Hausser. The Panthers drew six walks but left eight runners stranded on base. "Give credit to [Northern Kentucky starter] Aaron Boster, he threw the ball well and held us hitless through six."
 
Boster finished the game with six strikeouts over as many innings without allowing a hit and walking four batters. Evan Fry earned a three-inning save as he struck out three and allowed the two solo home runs to Milwaukee.
 
"The game of baseball gives and takes and today we found ourselves on the wrong end of the equation," Wegner added. "We lined out a couple of times, especially with runners on, and one of those could have really changed the narrative of the game."
 
Milwaukee's bullpen was effective throughout the game, tossing 5 2/3 innings of shutout ball behind Keagon Kaufmann who made his first collegiate start.
 
Matthew Mueller struck out three over his inning of work before Eamonn Mulhern struck out a pair over a team-high 2 2/3 innings. Riley Peterson had two strikeouts over 1 1/3 before Zach Dohrmann struck out the only two batters he faced on nine pitches.
 
Milwaukee will visit non-conference Valparaiso on Tuesday afternoon with first pitch set for 3:00 p.m. (CT) at Emory Bauer Field in Indiana.