April Ehlers needs 13 strikeouts to claim the NKU career record.
Game 1 box score |
Game 2 box score
LOUISVILLE, Ky. –
April Ehlers inched closer to the strikeout record at Northern Kentucky University as the Norse split a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader at Bellarmine on Sunday afternoon.
The Norse took a 3-0 win in the opener before dropping the nightcap by a 4-3 final score. The result moved NKU to 22-11 overall and 12-3 in GLVC play.
A pair of Knight miscues led to two Norse runs in the top of the first inning, setting the stage for NKU's victory in the opener.
Mandi McQueen gave the Norse an insurance run in the fifth inning with a sacrifice fly. McQueen also walked and singled in her only official at bat.
Ehlers got the win in the circle with a two-hit shutout. She struck out 13 batters in the contest.
Game 2 saw the Norse strike first once again, this time in the third inning. A two-run single by
Emily Schwaeble brought in
Jessica Farris and McQueen to open the scoring. After a walk to
Ashley Gates,
Natalie Papi singled in Schwaeble to extend the lead to 3-0.
Schwaeble ended the game 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.
A Megan Murdoch home run in the bottom of the fourth cut put the Knights on the board for the first time on the day.
The bottom of the seventh inning had an inauspicious opening for the Norse, as a throwing error allowed leadoff batter Casey Cleary to reach safely. Cynthia Brown followed that up with a single. The next two batters were retired in order to set the stage for the GLVC's leading home-run hitter, Lauren Summe, who claimed her ninth long ball of the season to give the Knights the walk-off winner.
The walk-off spoiled a solid pitching performance by
Chelsie Roy, who gave up just one run on four hits in five innings of work.
Ehlers (10-5) took the loss in relief, claiming three more strikeouts and raising her career total to 823. She now needs just 14 more strikeouts to surpass Krystal Lewallen as NKU's all-time leader. Lewallen finished with 836 strikeouts at NKU.
Farris went 2-for-3 in the nightcap.
NKU returns to the road next weekend, facing GLVC foes Saint Joseph's and Indianapolis.
