Strong pitching leads softball to DH split

Scoreboard

softball | 4/30/2014 10:06:00 PM
Mike Anderson, NKU Sports Information

led off the bottom of the frame by reaching on a dropped third strike. Dee Dee Davis laid down a sacrifice bunt, but a second Eagles error allowed Straley to score and put the Norse on the board.

The lead stretched to 2-0 in the second inning after back-to-back 10-pitch at bats by Natalie Papi and Alexis VanHorn led to a walk and a single, respectively. Mandi McQueen followed up with an RBI single to score Papi.

Kelley Benhase started strong, facing just one more than the minimum through four innings. However, three hit batters in the fifth inning forced NKU coach Kathy Stewart to make a change and call on Paige McQueen, who got the Norse out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam to keep the 2-0 lead.

Morehead State broke through in the sixth inning, as doubles by Stephanie Etter and Tressa Watson gave the Eagles their first run. In the seventh, Paige McQueen dotted McKennea Bartko to start the inning before Alyssa Enrique retired the next three batters to earn her first career save.

Benhase picked up her first win of the season, improving to 1-5 on the year after striking out four and allowing just one hit in 4.2 innings. The Norse outhit the Eagles, 5-3.

Dueling home runs by Karly Thompson and Van Horn set the tone in Game 1. Thompson got MSU on the board in the second inning with a two-run blast to dead center field before Van Horn answered with a two-run shot of her own, going to the opposite field to tie the game.

Thompson's second long ball of the game came in the fourth inning and opened a string of six unanswered runs to give the Eagles the victory. The Eagles used four hits to plate four runs in the fifth inning and reach the game's final score.

The win went to Tanna Seuferer, who allowed two runs on three hits and one walk while striking out four to go to 9-13. The loss fell to Enrique, who now stands at 3-13 on the year.

The Norse will conclude the 2014 season this weekend, hosting Florida Gulf Coast for a three-game Atlantic Sun Conference series. Saturday's doubleheader will feature the "Bark in the Park" promotion. Fans are encouraged to bring their dogs to the park and partake in the festivities. On Sunday, the Norse will honor their senior class in a special pre-game ceremony. First pitch is scheduled for noon each day.

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