Box score
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Freshmen
Tory Speakman and
Alexis VanHorn homered back-to-back for the Northern Kentucky University softball team, but Mercer's offensive onslaught was too much, as the Bears claimed a 15-5 victory on Sunday to sweep the three-game Atlantic Sun Conference series between the teams.
The Norse homers came in the bottom of the second inning, tying the game at 2-2 and knocking Mercer starting pitcher Kristen Bretscher out of the game. However, Mercer rallied in the fourth to score seven runs.
NKU mounted a measure of a comeback in the bottom of the fourth inning on an RBI single by
Mandi McQueen followed by a two-run single from
Dee Dee Davis, closing the score to 9-5. The Norse had a chance to tie the score in the inning after
Natalie Papi walked, bringing up
Michelle Carson with the bases loaded, however, the rally ended there on a groundout to third base.
Mercer added six more runs in the fifth inning, punctuated by McKenzie Woody's three-run inside-the-park home run to left field, pushing the margin beyond the run-rule. Woody finished the game 2-for-2 with four RBIs and was one of six Bears to post multiple hits in the game.
Davis and Speakman each had 2-for-3 games while McQueen was 2-for-2 as the Norse compiled eight hits on the game.
The win went to Mercer's Julia Rice, who came on in relief, giving up three runs on six hits in 3.2 innings to improve to 9-5 on the year.
Emily Schwaeble (1-9) took the loss for the Norse, surrendering just one earned run on nine hits while fanning five Mercer batters.
NKU, now 6-18 on the year and 0-6 in A-Sun play, returns to the road next weekend for a three-game A-Sun series at Kennesaw State.
