Game 1 box score |
Game 2 box score
FT. MYERS, Fla. – The Northern Kentucky University softball team was victimized by the walk-off, not once, but twice, on Saturday as Florida Gulf Coast swept a doubleheader between the Atlantic Sun Conference foes.
A one-out, two-run home run by Brittney Garabedian in the bottom of the eighth inning ended a 2-0 victory in Game 1 for FGCU (34-16, 15-7 A-Sun). NKU pitcher
Emily Schwaeble had surrendered just three hits and struck out three Eagles' batters in the game's first seven innings before a leadoff single by Mariah Fernandez got things started. After an unsuccessful sacrifice attempt by Alexis Ross, Garabedian laced a 3-2 pitch down the left field line for the game-winner.
The Norse managed just two hits in the contest, one each off the bats of
Alexis VanHorn and
Michelle Carson.
Game 2 saw NKU (11-37, 5-18 A-Sun) come back from a 3-1 deficit to tie the game before Alexis Ross hit a pinch-hit RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning to claim a 4-3 win .
The Eagles opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI single by Kelsey Carpenter. The Norse answered quickly in the top of the second inning. VanHorn singled to lead off the frame, moving to second on a
Kaylin Steinmetz sacrifice and to third on a Carson groundout, allowing
Dana Jarboe to pick up the RBI on a single up the middle and tie the score.
Florida Gulf Coast came right back in the bottom of the second with a pair of RBI singles by Regan Knapik and Jessica Barnes to stretch the lead to 3-1.
The Norse got the runs back in the top of the fifth inning, keyed by Jarboe's leadoff double. Allie Connor followed with a single into left field, and Jarboe scored after a bobble by the FGCU defender. After
KC Straley's sacrifice bunt to move Conner to third base,
Dee Dee Davis tied the game with an RBI single to score Conner.
A leadoff walk to Makensie McAvoy haunted for NKU pitcher
Alex Caudill in the seventh inning. McAvoy was able to move to second on a stolen base and was sacrificed to third to set up the Ross' walk-off hit.
NKU compiled eight hits on the game, including 2-for-3 performances from Jarboe, Conner and Straley. Straley also stole a pair of bases to extend her team-best total to eight on the season.
The teams will wrap up their three-game league series on Sunday with a 1 p.m. first pitch. The Norse will conclude the 2013 season next weekend, welcoming in Lipscomb for a three-game series at the Frank Ignatius Grein Softball Field.
