at Northern Kentucky (20-9, 11-2 GLVC): 5, 5
Southern Indiana (13-15, 4-8 GLVC): 1, 1
Box Scores: Game 1 | Game 2

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky.—The University of Southern Indiana softball team suffered a pair of 5-1 setbacks to host Northern Kentucky University in a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader Sunday.

USI (13-15, 4-8 GLVC) fell behind 4-0 in game one as the host Norse took advantage of a pair of errors to score twice in the bottom of the first inning and two more times in the third frame.

Senior second baseman Amanda Brendel put the Screaming Eagles on the scoreboard with an RBI-double in the fourth inning. USI had the bases loaded with no outs following Brendel's double, but NKU hurler April Ehlers struck out three straight batters to end the threat and preserve Northern Kentucky's advantage.

The Norse (20-9, 11-2 GLVC) tacked on another run in the fifth inning, while Ehlers held the Eagles to just two hits throughout the remainder of the contest. USI hitters struggled throughout the first game as Ehlers struck out 15 batters.

Freshman pitcher Madeline Brink was charged with the loss for the Eagles despite a strong outing. Brink (6-7), who gave up five runs off eights in six innings of work, allowed just two earned runs while striking out four batters.

Brink, however, had a rough outing in the second game as she gave up four runs in the bottom of the first inning before giving way to fellow classmate Kelsey Jankowski. After getting the first two outs of the inning, Brink gave up four straight hits, including a pair of two-run home runs, as the Norse took a 4-1 advantage.

The Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when sophomore outfielder Katherine Belsito hit a two-out single through the left side of the infield to score sophomore pitcher/infielder Stephanie Bittner.

USI, which had runners on base in every inning but the sixth, threatened to score again in the third inning as the Eagles had runners at first and second with two outs. NKU pitcher Chelsea Roy, however, got a ground out to end the Eagles' scoring chance and did not allow a USI batter to reach second throughout the remainder of the contest.

A bright spot for the Eagles Sunday was the performance of Jankowski, who allowed just one run off three hits in 5 1/3 innings of work. She retired the final nine batters she faced.

USI returns to action Saturday when it hosts the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. First pitch for the GLVC doubleheader is slated for noon at the USI Softball Field.