Week 2 game notes | A-Sun weekly release
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University softball team heads south to Chattanooga, Tenn., to take part in the Frost Classic tournament this weekend. The Norse will play five games over three days in the event.
The schedule will start on Friday against Tennessee Tech and Toledo. The Norse will continue play on Saturday against North Carolina Central and Eastern Kentucky. Play concludes on Sunday when the Norse face Niagara. Game times and live stats links will be available at NKUNorse.com.
The Norse are 0-4 on the year and coming off an opening weekend in which they were unable to secure a victory at the Panther Invitational. The Norse lost a 12-inning battle with Presbyterian, 11-9, before falling to Georgia State on Saturday. In Sunday's wrap-up, a seventh-inning rally by Oakland spoiled NKU's chance at a win before the Norse again lost to Georgia State to finish out the weekend. The Norse offense showed signs of a power surge as NKU compiled five home runs in the four-game stretch, while pitcher
Emily Schwaeble posted an 11-strikeout performance against Presbyterian.
A WORD ABOUT TENNESSEE TECH: The Golden Eagles enter the Frost Classic with a 4-4 record after picking up wins over Liberty and Mercer at the Kennesaw State Tournament this past weekend. TTU is led offensively by Madison Taylor, who has nine hits in 17 at-bats this season for a .529 batting average, and Melody Christian, who has six of the team's 15 stolen bases. In the circle, Taylor Ketchum boasts a 3-1 record with a 1.22 era to lead the pitching staff.
A WORD ABOUT TOLEDO: The Rockets will open their 2013 schedule this weekend after the team was unable to start its season as scheduled at the FAU “Kick-Off” Classic in Boca Raton, Fla. Outfielder Lindsey Tobias is expected to lead the Rockets' offense, having hit .344 last season with eight home runs, 42 RBIs and 17 stolen bases. Alli Beery stands as the team's top returning pitcher, having amassed a 6.71 ERA and two shutouts in 2012.
A WORD ABOUT N.C. CENTRAL: The Eagles are still seeking their first win of the season, entering the tournament with an 0-6 record. Tiphani Jackson paces the Eagles' offense, batting .308 on the year. London Booker will lead NCCU in the circle, having posted a 5.25 ERA in 22.2 innings of work so far.
A WORD ABOUT EASTERN KENTUCKY: The Colonials saw success at the Kennesaw State Tournament, entering this weekend with a 3-1 record and a three-game winning streak. Lauren Mitchell leads an EKU offense that boasts three players batting .400 or better, with Mitchell going .455 (5-for-11) with a pair of RBIs. Leanna Pittsenbarger picked up both a shutout and a save last weekend, and leads the pitching staff with a 2-0 record and a 1.87 ERA, picking up 21 strikeouts in 15 innings of work.
A WORD ABOUT NIAGARA: The Purple Eagles open their season this weekend after compiling a 15-30 record in 2012. Niagara has been picked to finish sixth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference poll. Junior Brittany Richberg is the team's top returning hitter, going .256 at the plate and stealing six bases. Kim Bryson returns to lead the pitching staff after compiling a 3.63 ERA and 160 strikeouts in 148.1 innings last year.
WELCOME BACK, EASTERN: The Norse face their first “familiar” foe since their Division I transition next Saturday against Eastern Kentucky, though the history between the Norse and Colonels is a brief one. Their only previous meeting came in 1993, a doubleheader in Richmond, Ky., which the Norse swept by scores of 7-1 and 7-3. Eastern Kentucky is one of just four teams on the 2013 schedule that NKU has prior history with: Morehead State (34 games), Kennesaw State (2) and Central Arkansas (1).
QUICK START FOR VanHORN: Freshman shortstop
Alexis VanHorn has made a quick start in contributing to the Norse offense. The Loudonville, Ohio native wrote her name in the history books as scoring the first run in NKU's Division I history and currently leads the team with three runs scored and a pair of doubles.
AT FIRST AND ON FIRST: Junior infielder
Natalie Papi was a consistent member of the Norse offense in 2012, leading the team by reaching base in 19 consecutive games. She has continued that consistency into the new season as the only player to reach base in each of NKU's four games this previous weekend at the Panther Invitational. Papi also led the Norse last season with four three-hit games, and was one of just two players on the team to claim four games of three hits or more.
Kaylin Steinmetz had three three-hit games and one four-hit games to add onto her resume.
