NKU-OU box score |
NKU-GSU box score
PANTHERSVILLE, Ga. – The Northern Kentucky University softball team managed four home runs over two games but fell just short of a winning result, dropping contests to Oakland (6-4) and Georgia State (8-2) to conclude play in the Panther Invitational.
NKU, now 0-4 to open the season, will travel next weekend for five games in three days at the Frost Classic in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Dee Dee Davis hit her first home run since 2011 to put the Norse on the board in the opener against Oakland. Davis' solo shot to left field answered Sarah Hartley's RBI-single in the second inning to level the score.
After the Grizzlies (2-0) pushed across two more runs in the fourth inning,
Natalie Papi pulled her first long ball of the season in the bottom half of the inning to once again tie the game, this time at 3-3.
Emily Schwaeble led off the bottom of the sixth with a solo homer to left, her 27
th career home run, to give the Norse the edge. Oakland would come back to rally for three runs in the top of the seventh, however, to spoil NKU's chance at victory.
Kelley Benhase (0-2) took the loss in the circle, surrendering five runs on five hits while striking out two in six innings of work. Papi's 2-for-3 performance at the plate paced a Norse offense that compiled six hits.
In NKU's second game of the day, Georgia State put the pressure on early, scoring in each of the game's first three innings en route to an 8-2 win over the Norse.
Kaylin Steinmetz homered in her first start of the season, accounting for one of NKU's four hits on the game.
Schwaeble (0-1) pitched 5.1 innings, compiling four strikeouts and surrendering five earned runs on six hits.
