Week 3 game notes
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University softball team opens its five-day, eight-game road trip over Spring Break on Saturday when the Norse take on Great Lakes Valley Conference foe Missouri-St. Louis.
NKU continues on to face Maryville on Sunday, Lincoln Memorial on Tuesday and King on Wednesday.
The Norse (3-3) are coming off a disappointing home opener against Ashland, a doubleheader sweep in which NKU managed just seven hits and three runs.
LAST TIME AGAINST MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS: Weather can be fickle, and on March 26 of last year, the weather stole away a potential victory for the Norse, who battled in a back-and-forth game to score four runs in the bottom of the sixth to claim a 10-8 lead over the Tritons. However, continued heavy snow denied UMSL a chance to bat in the bottom half of the inning. By rule, the score reverted to the last completed inning, handing NKU an 8-6 loss.
Dee Dee Davis,
Natalie Papi and
Dana Jarboe each claimed two-hit games. NKU leads the all-time series, 20-14, and is 19-3 against the Tritons since 2003.
LAST TIME AGAINST MARYVILLE: Pitching won the day as the Norse took a pair of wins against Maryville, 1-0 and 3-2, in the first ever meeting between the teams.
Emily Schwaeble had two hits in Game 1, while
Jessica Farris had a double and drove in two runs in Game 2.
LAST TIME AGAINST LINCOLN MEMORIAL: A sixth inning NKU comeback fell just short as LMU got a two-run walk-off home run from Sara Henn to post a 5-3 victory on March 30,2 007 in Dahlonega, Ga. Cara Parker went 2-3 with a double to pace the Norse. The Railsplitters hold the all-time edge, 7-4, and have won each of the last five games between the teams.
LAST TIME AGAINST KING: NKU's only meeting against King ended in a 7-1 victory for the Norse. Kara Parker and Becky Napier each had three hits on the game while Karen Simmons struck out three batters in six innings to get the win.
SLAMMIN' STEINMETZ: Freshman centerfielder
Kaylin Steinmetz had a banner day against Ashland, going 4-6 with a double and a pair of home runs in the twin bill. Steinmetz now leads the Norse with a .500 batting average Her 1.111 slugging percentage leads all GLVC batters and would rank third in all of Division II.
OPENING CONFERENCE PLAY: Since 1990, NKU is 13-9 in GLVC openers, including winning each of the last two openers, both against Rockhurst.
