Northern Kentucky University Athletics

Box score

INDIANAPOLIS – After a weekend filled with home runs, it was small ball that won the day for the Northern Kentucky University softball team, which defeated Illinois Springfield by a 1-0 score in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional.

The win was a measure of revenge for the Norse (36-19), who were eliminated by the Prairie Stars (34-21) in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament last weekend, advance to play host Indianapolis, which defeated Wayne State.  First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturday.

Fans interested in attending Saturday's games are strongly encouraged to read the traffic and parking advisories provided at the Midwest Regional Tournament website.
Mandi McQueen accounted for the game's only run, leading off the fourth inning with a double down the left field line, one of her two hits in the game.  After McQueen stole third base, Natalie Papi drove her in with a sacrifice fly to right field for her 27th RBI of the season.

Emily Schwaeble (22-6) made the run hold up, allowing only two Prairie Star base runners to reach second base in the contest while striking out 10 batters.  It marked the 10th game this season in which Schwaeble has fanned 10 or more opponents.

Illinois Springfield threatened early when Sarah Gray laced a one-out double down the right field line and Rachel Wood was hit by a pitch.  But NKU catcher Kari Lang slowed things down by gunning down Gray at third base on an attempted double steal.  Schwaeble got out of the inning two batters later, getting Sam Inman looking at strike three.

Schwaeble settled down from that point, setting down the next nine batters in order before an exciting defensive fifth inning for the Norse.  UIS's Chelsea Minor led the inning off with a single and was lifted for pinch runner Laura Hollinshead.  After Jessica Yocum laid down a sacrifice bunt to NKU third baseman Michelle Carson to advance the runner, Hollinshead attempted to take an additional base with Carson off the bag. McQueen was a star once again, moving in from left field to back up the play and apply the tag on Hollinshead to eliminate both base runners on a double play and help preserve the shutout.

UIS would threaten once more in the seventh after a leadoff single and a walk put the tying run in scoring position, but Schwaeble picked up her 10th strikeout of the day against Yocum to end the game and put the Norse in the win column.