HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University softball team returns to action this weekend, closing out an eight-game home stand by welcoming in South Carolina Upstate for an Atlantic Sun Conference series.
Saturday the teams will play a doubleheader, with first pitch from the Frank Ignatius Grein Softball Field set for noon. The series will conclude on Sunday with another noon first pitch. Live stats and video links are available from nkunorse.com.
This weekend will mark the first time since the move to Division I that NKU has hosted a nationally ranked team. USC Upstate is the No. 24 ranked team in both the USA Today/NFCA Coaches poll and the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll. NKU last played a ranked opponent on May 5, 2012, when the Norse defeated Indianapolis in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional.
The Norse enter this weekend with a 3-32 record after being swept in a midweek doubleheader by Marshall. The Norse also hold a 1-14 mark in A-Sun play.
A WORD ABOUT USC UPSTATE: The No. 24 Spartans are 36-5 overall and 15-2 in the A-Sun on the season. The Spartans have won 13 of their last 14 games, having dropped a 3-1 decision at No. 13 Georgia on Wednesday. Shellie Robinson is the league's most dominant hitter, leading the A-Sun in doubles (11), home runs (15), total bases (111) and slugging (.867). Her .414 batting average ranks second in the league and a .490 on-base percentage and 53 hits rank third. Upstate has the league's best pitching staff, holding a 1.32 earned run average as a team entering this weekend. Anna Miller (154) and Lexi Shubert (114) are Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, in the league in strikeouts, and are 1-2 in opposing batting average.
LAST TIME AGAINST THE SPARTANS: Upstate swept the three-game series between the teams last season, winning by scores of 3-1, 10-2 and 7-2.
Dana Jarboe drove in NKU's only run in the opener, and
Emily Schwaeble hit a pair of home runs in the series. For Upstate, Meredith Barnes was 6-for-10 in the series and Maddison Kieffer hit three home runs. The wins gave Upstate a 3-0 lead in the all-time series between the teams.
A-SUN AND THE WEEKLY TOP 40: The Atlantic Sun is once again establishing itself as one of the country's top softball conferences, boasting four teams in this week's Rating Percentage Index (RPI) ratings. Aside from USC Upstate at No. 24, Lipscomb stands at No. 33, Mercer is No. 38 and Stetson ranks No. 39. In the last four NCAA Tournaments, 19 teams ranked in the RPI top-40 have received at-large bids. Only two conferences have more teams in the RPI top 40; the SEC with 10 teams and the Pac-12 with five. The A-Sun is one of seven conferences with six or more teams represented in the top 100 as well.
