Northern Kentucky University Athletics

NKU-Lewis box score | Photo gallery

NKU-UWP box score | Photo gallery

EAST PEORIA, Ill. – April Ehlers and Gretchen Lorenz hit run-scoring doubles in the first inning as the Northern Kentucky University softball team held on for a 3-2 win against Wisconsin-Parkside in an elimination game at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament on Saturday.

Freshman pitcher Emily Schwaeble picked up the victory for NKU, which advanced to meet Lewis in the championship round of the GLVC Tournament. The fourth-seeded Norse (34-17) will need to beat third-seeded Lewis twice on Sunday to repeat as GLVC Tournament champions.

The winner of the GLVC Tournament receives an automatic berth to the NCAA Division II Tournament. Even if Lewis wins the GLVC Tournament, NKU appears to be a lock for the NCAA Tournament. The Norse are currently ranked No. 8 in the Midwest Region poll, while Lewis is No. 4.

NKU scored three times in the first inning against Wisconsin-Parkside to give Schwaeble the early lead. Jessica Farris started the rally by reaching on an error, and Schwaeble singled her to third with one out. After Ashley Gates struck out, Ehlers doubled to left-center field to drive in Farris for a 1-0 NKU lead.

Lorenz followed with a two-run double that plated both Schwaeble and Ehlers to extend the Norse advantage to 3-0.

Schwaeble, a Colerain High School graduate, struck out four batters and improved to 10-1 this spring. She allowed a two-run homer to Amy Horn in the sixth inning, but the freshman finished off the Rangers (30-21) in the seventh to send NKU into the championship round against Lewis.

Earlier on Saturday, Lewis defeated NKU by a 1-0 score in the winner's bracket final to move into the championship round. Lewis pushed across the only run in the bottom of the sixth inning in small-ball fashion. After a bunt single by Traci Freitag to lead off the inning, Mary Giancarlo laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Freitag to second.

That's when Lewis took advantage of two big breaks.

A passed ball charged to NKU catcher Jamie Raabe allowed Freitag to go to third, and an Ehlers wild pitch on a 3-1 delivery to Michelle Vucsko allowed Freitag to score the game's only run. The ball did not bounce far from Raabe, but home plate umpire Ed Vodvarka inadvertently kicked the ball away, allowing Freitag to score.

Ehlers struck out five batters and allowed just four hits, but Lewis pitcher Diana Pickrum held NKU to just three hits en route to the shutout.

Lewis has beaten NKU twice in three meetings this season. The two teams split a doubleheader at Romeoville, Ill., earlier this spring.