UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – Cara Parker provided the offense while April Ehlers shut down the opposition as the Northern Kentucky University softball team posted a 3-0 victory over Ferris State in the opening game of the NCAA Midwest Regional Tournament.
NKU advances to take on the winner of the Saginaw Valley/Lewis contest at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
Ehlers (19-12) struck out five of the first six batters she faced en route to a nine-strikeout, two-hit shutout over the Bulldogs. The sophomore got some help from her defense to retire 12 straight batters in one stretch.
Parker, meanwhile, was a firecracker for the Norse at the plate, getting the offense going in the fourth inning after Amanda Smith looped a single to center field to start things off. Shatona Campbell grounded into a fielder's choice before Parker belted a two-run blast over the left field wall to give the Norse the early advantage.
The senior third baseman, starting her 162nd straight contest, struck again in the sixth inning, driving in a run on a sharp double to the center field fence.
All told, the Norse picked up seven hits on the day, with Gretchen Lorenz slapping a pair of two-out base hits.
NKU improved to 32-21 on the season, and 10-2 all time against Ferris State. The Bulldogs fell to 33-9, with two of those losses coming to NKU this season.
