Emily Schwaeble rounds second base after hitting her game-winning home run in the ninth inning of Game 1 against Indianapolis on Saturday.
Game 1 box score |
Game 2 box score
INDIANAPOLIS –
Emily Schwaeble's fourth home run in three days was enough to lift the Northern Kentucky University softball team over Great Lakes Valley Conference front runner Indianapolis on Saturday afternoon.
Schwaeble hit her ninth home run of the season to give NKU a 4-2 extra-inning victory over Indianapolis, which entered the weekend as the No. 2 ranked team in the latest NCAA Division II national poll. The win helped soften the sting of NKU's 8-4 loss to the Greyhounds in Game 2.
The Norse are now 31-17 overall and 19-13 in GLVC play. With the win, the Norse should be a lock for next weekend's GLVC Tournament, to be played at the EastSide Centre in East Peoria, Ill.
A bases-loaded walk to Casey Williamson gave Indianapolis (43-6, 27-5 GLVC) the early lead in the opener.
Kaylin Steinmetz responded in the top of the fifth with a two-run home run to right center, her league-leading 19th long ball of the season.
Williamson knotted the score in the bottom half of the fifth inning with an RBI single up the middle to plate Kelsey Rummel, who reached on a fielder's choice.
The game went on to the ninth inning before a two-out walk to Steinmetz set up the game-winning bomb from Schwaeble, who pulled the ball over the wall in left center.
Schwaeble (19-5) came back in the circle to retire the Greyhounds in order and preserve the victory. The junior struck out 10 batters and allowed just five hits to pick up the win.
The Greyhounds struck early in Game 2, plating three runs in the first inning, capped by a two-run single by Briana Clark. The Norse cut the lead to one run after a bases-loaded walk to
Michelle Carson and a
Jessica Farris RBI-groundout.
Indy responded with two more in the bottom of the fourth, followed by a three-spot in the fifth inning opened the gap to a six-run lead.
A fielding error in the top of the sixth scored two more for the Norse, but they would manage no more.
Alex Caudill (12-11) took the loss for the Norse, giving up eight runs on nine hits while striking out five in 4 1/3 innings of work.
Dee Dee Davis was the offensive highlight for the Norse in Game 2, going 2-4 with a run scored.
NKU will close out the regular season on Sunday in a doubleheader at Saint Joseph's. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. Eastern.
Emily Schwaeble will bid to be NKU's first 20-game winner since Amanda Smith went 24-12 in 2006.
