HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University softball team continues its eight-game home stand on Wednesday, stepping out of conference play to host Marshall for a doubleheader at the Frank Ignatius Grein Softball Field. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.
Live stats and video for the games will be available at nkunorse.com.
The Norse, currently 3-30 on the season, are looking to snap a 10-game losing streak after being swept at home by Atlantic Sun Conference foe Stetson. NKU was outscored 30-1 in the series and held to a .157 batting average on the weekend.
A WORD ABOUT MARSHALL: The Thundering Herd stand at 15-23 overall and have extended their winning streak to five games after sweeping a weekend Conference USA series from Middle Tennessee State. Marshall has recorded 10 or more hits in each of the team's last four games. Shaelynn Braxton provides the power in the Thundering Herd lineup, boasting a .336 batting average with a team-best 11 home runs, 26 runs scored and 31 RBIs. Savanah Webster is the reigning C-USA Player of the Week, batting .474 last week for the Herd, including an 8-for-12 performance in the weekend series against MTSU.
Marshall will lean on Jordan Dixon in the circle. Dixon is 12-15 on the year with a 5.46 ERA, having appeared in 35 of Marshall's 38 games this year. She has picked up 150 strikeouts in 146.2 innings of work and picked up a shutout of Radford in midweek action last week.
LAST TIME AGAINST THE THUNDERING HERD: The first meeting between NKU and Marshall ended in a doubleheader sweep for the Thundering Herd on April 10, 2013. Marshall won the games by scores of 4-1 and 6-1.
Dee Dee Davis hit three doubles between the two games and Shaelynn Braxton went 3-for-5 over the two games.
HAMMERING LEADOFF: Dana Jarboe went 4-for-7 on the weekend series against Stetson, hitting primarily in the leadoff spot. Jarboe had doubles in each game of Saturday's doubleheader, prompting a move to the No. 3 spot in the lineup for Sunday, where the senior had an 0-for-2 day. The performance pushed Jarboe's batting average to a team-best .300 on the season.
POWER OUTAGE: The Norse have struggled to produce power at the plate lately, hitting just three home runs and 12 total base hits over their last 17 games. In the 16 previous games, the Norse amassed 27 extra-base hits, including a six-double performance in a 9-8 win over Florida A&M on March 11.
