Game 1 box score |
Game 2 box score
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –
Katelyn Roy was 4-for-4 with three doubles and a career-high five RBIs to lead the Northern Kentucky University softball team to a 9-8 victory over Florida A&M in nonconference action on Tuesday afternoon.
The win took the sting out of a 3-1 loss to open Tuesday's doubleheader and gives the Norse a 2-14 record entering this weekend's Atlantic Sun Conference series against Kennesaw State.
Roy's perfect game at the plate started in the top of the first inning when she doubled down the left field line to score
Dana Jarboe, who had reached on an error to lead off the game, and start the Norse off with a 1-0 lead. Back-to-back RBI doubles by Roy and
Dani Devlin in the third inning extended the NKU lead to 3-0.
Dee Dee Davis and Roy each doubled to lead off the fifth inning and plate another Norse run.
Michelle Carson then scored
Mandi McQueen, who had come on to pinch run for Roy, on an RBI groundout, making it 5-0.
The Lady Rattlers (6-13) started the comeback in the bottom of the fifth inning, when a single and a Norse error plated two runs and spelled the end of the day for NKU starter
Alyssa Enrique, who struck out five batters in 4.2 innings. After the pitching change brought on
Paige McQueen, FAMU's Denise Anderson launched a two-run home run that cut the Norse lead to 5-4.
NKU expanded the lead once more in the top of the sixth inning when
Nicolette Hayes led the inning off with a single and scored on a Jarboe double. Roy settled for a two-out single in the frame as well, but drove in a pair of runs with it, as Jarboe and
KC Straley, who had walked earlier in the inning, came around to score.
Florida A&M got its running game going in the sixth inning, stealing a total of six bases, including two runners stealing home, to make it 8-6.
Hayes led off the seventh inning, just as she did the sixth, with a single. After a ground out and a stolen base, the sophomore capitalized on a wild pitch to touch home and score what proved to be a pivotal run, extending the NKU lead to 9-6.
After Amanda Weaver singled with one out in the seventh, Kieffi Myrick came through big with a two-out, two-run home run to make it a 9-8 game, but
Paige McQueen bore down and got Tashay Irvis to hit a ground ball right back to the circle to end the game.
Enrique got her first collegiate win, improving to 1-2 on the year, while
Paige McQueen picked up her first career save, pitching the final 2.1 innings, striking out one. Offensively, the Norse combined for 12 hits, as Davis, Devlin and Hayes each had two-hit games to go with Roy's monster effort.
In Game 1, it was the Lady Rattlers that took the early lead when Amber Fullwood singled up the middle to bring home Weaver and make it a 1-0 lead. The Norse tied the score in the fifth inning on a Roy sacrifice fly, plating
Mandi McQueen. The Lady Rattlers regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning on a two-run single by Naesha Lewis and the Norse couldn't find a response.
Alex Caudill (0-7) went the distance in the loss, scattering nine hits and allowing just one earned run while striking out five Lady Rattlers. The win went to Ashleigh Minter, who gave up a run on seven hits and picked up six strikeouts.
Jarboe and
Taylor Zuberer led the Norse offense, each claiming two hits on the game.
The Norse now return home to prepare for Saturday's doubleheader against Kennesaw State. First pitch from the Frank Ignatius Grein Softball Field is scheduled for noon. On Sunday at noon it's Sunday Funday, with Softball Bingo at the game, as well as a schedule poster giveaway.
