Week 6 Notes
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University softball team opens the Frank Ignatius Grein Softball Field for the first time of the 2014 season as the Norse welcome Kennesaw State University for a three-game Atlantic Sun Conference series this weekend.
The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday and follow that up with a single game on Sunday. First pitch each day is scheduled for noon. Live stats for all three games will be available at NKUNorse.com.
The Norse stand at 2-14 on the season after splitting a midweek doubleheader at Florida A&M. NKU dropped the opener, 3-1, before holding on for a 9-8 win in Game 2.
Katelyn Roy had a stellar day, going 4-for-6 at the plate across two games with a run scored and six RBIs, while
Alyssa Enrique picked up her first collegiate win in the circle. NKU is 0-3 in A-Sun play this season after being swept by Jacksonville in in last weekend's conference series.
A WORD ABOUT KENNESAW STATE: The Owls enter the weekend with a 12-11 record, including a 2-1 mark in conference play, after claiming an extra-inning victory over Mississippi State and splitting a doubleheader against Furman to close out a seven-game home stand. Kennesaw State has struggled away from home, posting a 4-5 record away from Bailey Park. Offensively, catcher Angie Dascoli has posted a .355 batting average to lead the Owls and Courtney Sutter shares in the league lead with seven doubles. In the circle will stand one of the A-Sun's top pitchers in Amanda Henderson. Her 11 wins lead the A-Sun, while she ranks second in strikeouts (89) and innings pitched (73.1) and third in opponent batting average (.169).
LAST TIME AGAINST THE OWLS: The Norse managed just one run across three games, dropping a weekend sweep to Kennesaw State on March 23-24, 2013. Henderson pitched a one-hitter in the weekend opener, a 1-0 win for the Owls.
Michelle Carson got the Norse a run in Game 2 with an RBI double, but Kennesaw State capitalized on an NKU error to claim a 2-1 win. In the third game, the Owls pitching staff scattered five hits and Henderson got a three-inning save in a 3-0 KSU victory. The Owls hold the all-time lead in the season series, 4-1.
OH BOY, ROY!: On Tuesday,
Katelyn Roy posted the top single-game hitting performance by a Norse batter since the transition to Division I. Roy went 4-for-4 against Florida A&M, rapping three doubles and collecting five RBIs to help the Norse to a 9-8 victory. It was her first four-hit game and a career high in RBIs. It was the first four-hit game for NKU since
Kaylin Steinmetz went 4-for-4 against Quincy (Ill.) on March 10, 2012. The five RBIs are the most for a Norse batter since
Emily Schwaeble cranked two grand slams in a win over Cedarville (Ohio) on April 19, 2012.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS: Roy and
Dee Dee Davis have held their places, and gained, in the A-Sun offensive rankings. Roy's .366 batting average entering this weekend ranks her seventh among league batters, while her .707 slugging percentage is fifth-best in the conference. Meanwhile, Davis holds a .660 slugging percentage to rank eighth in the conference.
STREAKING AGAIN:
KC Straley's 11-game on-base streak was broken last Sunday after an 0-for-3 game in the series finale against Jacksonville. Since then, however, Straley has jumped right back to it, reaching successfully in both games against Florida A&M to make it 14 out of 16 games in which the junior centerfielder has touched first base.
NEW LEADER:
Dana Jarboe has stepped up as NKU's leadoff hitter for the last three games and has posted a .333 batting average in the role. Jarboe has five hits, including a double, and has scored four runs at the top spot in the lineup. The performance has jump started the Norse lineup, which is seeing a .250 batting average as a team from the leadoff position.
SHORING UP SHORT:
Nicolette Hayes had a strong showing in Tuesday's doubleheader, going 3-for-6 with two runs scored and a stolen base in the twin bill. The junior from Loveland, Ohio, has stepped up as the starting shortstop for the Norse over the last five games and will look to continue the offensive trend.
TWO FOR TAYLOR:
Taylor Zuberer posted a two-hit game in NKU's 3-1 loss to Florida A&M on Tuesday. It was her first multi-hit game since her collegiate debut on Feb. 18, 2012 against Wayne State (Mich.). Since taking over the role at third base, Zuberer has gone 3-for-15 at the plate.
