EAST PEORIA, Ill.—The University of Southern Indiana softball team's bid for a GLVC title came to an end Sunday as the Screaming Eagles fell to #5-ranked Northern Kentucky University, 15-7, at the EastSide Centre.

USI (26-24) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and scored three runs in the following inning to take a 5-2 lead after two innings.

However, NKU added a run in the third inning and four in the fourth inning to take a 6-5 lead.

The Norse, which entered the tournament as the top seed, added four more runs in the top of the fifth inning to blow the game wide open.

Senior pitcher/third baseman Shannon Emmons (Boonville, Indiana) was charged with the loss after giving up six runs off eight hits in 3 2/3 innings pitched. Emmons (13-10) had won three straight decisions in the GLVC Tournament leading up to the game.

Offensively, Emmons went 2-of-4 with three RBIs to lead the Eagles. Senior shortstop Nichole Pike (Fairfield, Illinois), freshman catcher/designated player Lisa Anderson (Chesterton, Indiana), and senior leftfielder Jessica Brown (Evansville, Indiana) each had an RBI in the loss.

With the win, Northern Kentucky (50-4) advanced to the championship of the GLVC Tournament to face #19-ranked Lewis University.