Northern Kentucky (15-8, 9-2 GLVC): 6, 4
at Southern Indiana (8-14, 7-3 GLVC): 4, 1
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
EVANSVILLE, Ind.—Northern Kentucky University scored five unanswered runs in game one and three unanswered runs in game two to hand the University of Southern Indiana softball team a pair of losses Saturday at the USI Softball Field.
The Screaming Eagles (8-14, 7-3 GLVC) lost game one, 6-4, despite scoring four times in the bottom of the first inning to take a three-run advantage. They lost game two 4-1.
After surrendering a run in the top half of the first inning of game one, USI sent 10 batters to the plate in the last half of the first frame. The Eagles got an RBI-single from senior designated player Sara Loete and a two-run single from junior third baseman LeAnn Collins to take a 3-1 lead.
Junior centerfielder Reva LeDune-Bourgasser followed Collins with an RBI-single to stake USI to a commanding three-run cushion.
NKU pitcher April Ehlers, however, settled down to record two straight outs and strand three USI runners on base to finish the first inning. That would come back to haunt the Eagles, who were held to just one hit and two base runners throughout the final six innings of the contest.
The Norse (15-8, 9-2 GLVC), however, scored three times in the second inning to tie the contest at 4-4. NKU took advantage of an error and a balk in the third inning to plate a run and take a 5-4 advantage; then increased its lead to two runs with a tally in the fourth frame.
Sophomore pitcher Hadley Clark was pinned with the loss after giving up six runs, four earned, off seven hits in seven innings of work. She fell to 4-7 with the decision.
USI capitalized on a pair of NKU errors in the fourth inning of game two to erase a 1-0 deficit. The Eagles plated their lone run when Loete hit a sacrifice fly down the rightfield line, pushing in junior second baseman Amanda Brendel, who reached on an error to lead the inning off.
The Norse, however, took advantage of two USI errors to score twice in the fifth inning and take a 3-1 lead. NKU added an insurance run in the sixth inning as it completed the two-game sweep.
USI brought the tying run to the plate with no outs in sixth inning, but NKU pitcher Emily Schaweble sent the next three batters down in order to preserve the lead. As a team, USI had just three hits in the contest.
Junior pitcher Dawn McClellan was charged with the loss after giving up four runs, two earned, off nine hits in seven innings of work. She falls to 4-7 with the setback.
The Eagles return to action Wednesday when they visit the University of Missouri-St. Louis for a GLVC doubleheader. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. in St. Louis.
