DELAND, Fla. – Sydney Ferrante went 2-for-5 and drew three walks as the Northern Kentucky University softball team dropped both halves of a doubleheader to Stetson University on Saturday in Atlantic Sun Conference action.
 
Dani Devlin recorded three hits over the two games for the Norse, who dropped to 5-30 overall and 1-13 in the Atlantic Sun, while KC Straley collected two hits. 
 
Jessie Tenbroeck led the way offensively for Stetson, which improved to 24-15 on the year and 7-8 in the conference, going 4-for-7 with one double, one RBI and two runs scored, while four other Hatters recorded two hits each.
 
GAME 1
 
Devlin paced the Norse offense in the opener, collecting two of NKU's three hits.  Emma Coons went 1-for-2 with one run scored, and she drew a walk for the Norse.
 
A ground out by Kayla Drury brought home Tenbroeck, who singled to center field and stole second, and a Jessica Griffin double to right-center field allowed Jazz Vasquez to score in the first to put Stetson ahead 2-0.  The Hatters then stretched their lead to 3-0 when Tenbroeck doubled to left field and Amanda Peck, who pinch ran for Courtney Brandt who drew a walk, the following frame.
 
NKU got onto the scoreboard in the top of the third, cutting its deficit to 3-1.  Emma Coons sparked the Norse offense with a double to left field, and Devlin reached base on a drop fly ball by Tenbroeck in right field, and Coons came home for the only NKU run of the game.
 
Both pitchers settled down from there as the Norse and Hatters each left five base runners stranded over the final four innings.
 
Ashlynn Roberts (3-12) took the loss in the circle for NKU, giving up three runs on six hits with four walks and one strikeouts in the complete-game performance.
 
Tenbroeck led the way for the Stetson offense, going 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored.  Brandt (9-8) claimed the victory in the opener, allowing just one unearned run with one hit, three walks and five strikeouts. Chelsea Hostetler earned her first save of the season after pitching three scoreless innings of relief and scattering two hits.
 
GAME 2
 
A single home run over the right-field wall by Kelsey Waters broke a scoreless tie in the third inning, but NKU countered with a an RBI single from Nicolette Hayes, which scored Kate Bartolovich, who recorded an infield single, in the fourth to tie the game at 1-all.
 
The Hatters took advantage of a pair of Norse errors in the sixth inning to regain the lead.  Tenbroeck singled and scored on the next play on a throwing error by Bartolovich at third base as Vasquez recorded an infield single and went to second on the miscue.  A two-out single from Drury and a throwing error by Ferrante then allowed Vasquez to push Stetson ahead, 3-1.
 
NKU rallied in the top of the seventh.  Straley recorded a one-out single up the middle, and Devlin followed with a single through the left side.  Ferrante drew a walk to load the bases, and a sacrifice fly from Katelyn Roy brought Straley home, bringing the Norse to within 3-2.  A pop out ended the rally before NKU was able to plate another run.
 
Ferrante finished 2-for-3 with a walk to lead the Norse, while Straley went 2-for-4 with one run scored.  Alex Caudill (2-11) allowed three runs, just one earned, on seven hits and struck out three batters for in the loss for NKU.
 
Tenbroeck and Drury each went 2-for-3 to lead the way in the nightcap for Stetson.  Hostetler (15-7) gave up two runs on seven hits, and she struck out one batter and walked four in the win for the Hatters.
 
NKU and Stetson meet for the finale on Sunday at noon.  Links to live stats and the video broadcast are available at NKUNorse.com.