Northern Kentucky University Athletics

NKU-FSU box score | NKU-WJU box score

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Stellar pitching from Chelsie Roy and April Ehlers paved the way for an offensive onslaught by the Northern Kentucky University softball team in a pair of big wins at the Rebel Spring Games.

Roy struck out six without allowing a walk to lead the Northern Kentucky University softball team to an 8-0 victory over Fayetteville State, while Ehlers threatened her own single-game strikeout record, fanning 17 batters in a 13-1 rout of Wheeling Jesuit.

With the wins, NKU improves to 5-5 on the season.

Roy (2-1) picked up her first shutout of the season and improved her earned run average to a team-best 0.81 in the opener.

Jessica Farris scored the first of her three runs in the bottom of the first inning, reaching on a walk and stealing second and third bases before coming in on a Natalie Papi sacrifice fly.

Ashley Gates' laser-shot home run to left-centerfield led off a five-run second inning for the Norse. Michelle Carson added an RBI-double to help spark the Norse.

Carson came back in the fifth inning to drive in the game-ending run, scoring Dana Jarboe from third base.

Gretchen Lorenz went 2-for-3 to lead the Norse offense in the opener.

Ehlers struck out the first eight batters she faced and retired the first 13 batters of the game in a dominating victory over Wheeling Jesuit.

Back-to-back doubles by Natalie Papi and Emily Schwaeble got the Norse on the board in the third inning before Gates drilled the first pitch she saw into right-centerfield for an RBI triple. Ehlers helped her own cause with an RBI-groundout to extend the lead to 3-0.

NKU would pound out five runs on five hits in the fifth inning, punctuated by a two-run infield single by Mandi McQueen. Farris, running alertly, was able to score from second base as McQueen beat the throw to first base.

The Norse tacked on five more in the seventh inning, with Gates and Lorenz adding two-run singles and Kari Lang picking up her first hit of the night with an RBI-double to left field.

In all, the Norse pounded out 19 hits in the game, including six extra-base hits. All nine starters for the Norse had at least one hit, with Schwaeble leading the way, going 4-for-5 with a double.  Gates, McQueen and Papi each had three hits.

Ehlers moved to 2-3 on the year, allowing one run on four hits. Her 17 strikeouts are one short of the school record she set in 2009 against Dowling and ties her for eighth all-time in NCAA history for strikeouts in a seven-inning game.

NKU gets an early start on Monday, taking on Concordia-St. Paul at 9 a.m. in Day 3 of the Rebel Spring Games. The Norse conclude the day with an 11 a.m. first pitch against Minnesota State.