Ashley Gates hit a pair of home runs Tuesday as NKU split with Ashland.
Game 1 box score |
Game 2 box score
ASHLAND, Ohio –
Ashley Gates went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer as the Northern Kentucky University softball team split a doubleheader against Ashland by pulling out an 8-7 victory in the second game Tuesday afternoon.
NKU (19-10) owned a 6-4 lead in the top of the seventh inning when Gates added insurance by launching her fifth home run of the season, a two-run blast down the left-field line. Ashland (19-7) scored three times in the bottom of the seventh to cut the NKU lead to 8-7, but Norse pitcher
April Ehlers struck out Carrie Hosier to end the game.
Jessica Farris went 3-for-3 and scored three runs for NKU, which rallied from a 4-2 deficit after the first inning. The Norse tied it at 4-all in the third inning on run-scoring singles from
Rose Broderick and Ehlers.
NKU added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to gain a 6-4 advantage, and Gates made it 8-4 with her two-run homer in the seventh. Gates now has 17 career home runs, which ranks second in Norse history.
Chelsie Roy notched the win by pitching 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Ehlers picked up the save by going the final three innings and striking out seven.
In the opener, Ashland posted a 3-2 victory over NKU. Gates hit a solo homer for the Norse in the opener, while Farris added two hits. Ehlers struck out seven batters, but a pair of NKU errors led to three unearned Ashland runs.
NKU returns to action Saturday by hosting Great Lakes Valley Conference rival Bellarmine in a noon doubleheader at the Frank Ignatius Grein Softball Field.
