Natalie Papi hit her first home run of the season in a doubleheader sweep of Southern Indiana on Sunday.
Game 1 box score |
Game 2 box score
EVANSVILLE, Ind. –
Kaylin Steinmetz had four hits and
Natalie Papi hit her first home run of the season as the Northern Kentucky University softball team used an offensive barrage to sweep a doubleheader from Southern Indiana on Sunday.
The Norse claimed a 4-1 victory in Game 1 and completed the sweep with an 8-3 victory in Game 2. The sweep improves NKU's record to 14-8 overall and 8-4 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play.
Papi's home run opened the scoring in Game 1, as she pulled an 0-1 pitch over the right field wall in the second inning.
Jessica Farris and
Katelyn Roy each drove in runs in the fifth inning to help the Norse extend the lead.
USI's Kyla Gogel ended
Emily Schwaeble's shutout streak at three starts with a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning, pulling the edge to 3-1. Steinmetz got the run back for the Norse in the seventh inning, working a nine-pitch at bat into her 10th home run of the season.
Schwaeble (11-1) struck out six batters while allowing just one run on three hits in the victory. The Norse got six hits on the day off six different bats.
NKU came out swinging right out of the gates in Game 2, posting three runs after Schwaeble scored on a wild pitch and
Kari Lang followed up with a two-run single. The lead vanished in the fourth inning after back-to-back USI doubles by Brooke Harmening and Gogel plated three runs and tied the score back up.
Much as she did in Game 1, Steinmetz came through with an answer, breaking the tie with an RBI-double to score
Mandi McQueen in the sixth inning. The Norse tacked on four insurance runs in the seventh inning to seal the victory.
Alex Caudill (3-6) got her first win in the circle since March 4, allowing just one hit in 3.1 innings of scoreless relief. Schwaeble got the start again in Game 2, allowing three runs on five hits and striking out one more.
Steinmetz went 3-5 with a pair of doubles in the nightcap, while Schwaeble, Lang and
Dee Dee Davis claimed two-hit games.
The Norse have an off day Monday before getting back to action on Tuesday in a non-conference doubleheader against Urbana. First pitch from the Frank Ignatius Grein Softball Field is scheduled for 2 p.m.
