Northern Kentucky University Athletics

Box score | Photo gallery

EAST PEORIA, Ill. – The Northern Kentucky University softball team continued its home-run hitting tendencies, cranking four long balls in a 12-2 victory over Saint Joseph's in the opening round of the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament.

NKU (34-17) advances in the winners' bracket to take on top-seeded Indianapolis, which defeated Quincy by a 16-1 margin.  First pitch is set for 5 p.m. Eastern.

Three of NKU's four home runs came in a nine-run first inning, beginning with Kaylin Steinmetz' leadoff shot over the right field wall.  Steinmetz now has 21 home runs on the season, just two short of the national lead, held by Kelsey Tillery of Metro State (Colo.).

Back-to-back singles by Emily Schwaeble and Mandi McQueen followed by a walk to Natalie Papi loaded the bases for Dee Dee Davis, who worked a walk to force in another NKU run.

Taylor Zuberer shot a single through the right side to push the edge to 3-0 and set the table for Michelle Carson, who put an 0-1 pitch over the centerfield fence for a grand slam, her first career home run at NKU.

After Steinmetz singled in her second time at bat in the inning to set up Schwaeble's two-run homer, a no-doubt shot to left field for her 11th on the year.

The nine runs were the most for an NKU team in an inning since March 19 of last year, when the Norse posted an 11-run third inning against Missouri S&T.

Jessica Farris got NKU's final home run of the day, striking the first pitch she saw in the fifth inning over the centerfield wall.

Eight of the nine NKU starters had at least one of NKU's 10 hits on the game, with Steinmetz and Schwaeble each claiming two-hit games.

Schwaeble (21-5) worked three innings in the circle, picking up one strikeout and scattering four hits.  Alex Caudill struck out two in two innings of relief work.

NKU has now won six of their last seven games and 11 of their last 13.