HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Back-to-back home runs from Katelyn Roy and Kate Bartolovich capped a four-run third inning for the Northern Kentucky University softball team in a 5-3 victory over Miami (Ohio) to split a nonconference doubleheader on Tuesday.
 
Bartolovich finished the game going 2-for-4, adding an RBI single in the fourth inning for a key insurance run. Sydney Ferrante and Alina Maher also had two-hit games as the Norse pounded out 10 hits and improved to 6-39 on the season.
 
The game had an inauspicious start for the Norse, as Ashlynn Roberts struggled through a three-run first inning favoring the RedHawks (30-21). Back-to-back doubles by Kylee McChesney and Eryn McCarver quickly got Miami on the board. Taylor Shuey added an RBI single and Megan Mattera chipped in with a run-scoring double to put the Norse on the back foot.
 
Miami starter Kelsey Fredericks stumbled out of the gates a bit as well, giving up a pair of walks in the first inning and a Maher single in the second before the Norse broke through in the third. Dani Devlin picked up a one-out walk and Ferrante followed with a sharp grounder to shortstop, beating out the play for an infield single to set up Roy's three-run bomb, her sixth of the season, down the left-field line to tie the game.
 
The home run prompted a pitching change for the RedHawks, but Bartolovich was unfazed, drilling an 0-2 pitch over the wall in left field to give the Norse the lead.  Roberts and Maher followed with back-to-back singles, but Emma Coons lined out to second base to end the rally.
 
Devlin started another rally for the Norse in the fourth with an opposite-field single. Ferrante shot the first pitch she saw back up the box before a fielder's choice put runners at the corners for Bartolovich, who delivered the insurance run with a drive up the middle.
 
Roberts bore down and pitched out of some big jams in the game as well. A dropped fly ball in the fifth inning allowed Miami to load the bases in the top of the fifth, but a smart defensive play by Ferrante, getting a quick out a third base, ended the inning and the scoring threat.
 
In the sixth, Roberts had the misplay, airmailing a throw after covering a Tanya Busby bunt to allow the speedy RedHawk right fielder to reach third base with one out. Roberts got out of the inning, inducing a pop up from McChesney before spearing a line drive from McCarver to head back to the dugout.
 
Back-to-back singles in the top of the seventh set the table for the RedHawks, who used a sacrifice bunt to get the tying run in scoring position before Roberts won an eight-pitch battle with Mattera, getting the strikeout, and Allie Conner made a game-winning catch in centerfield on a fly ball in the gap in right-centerfield.
 
Shanyn McIntyre went 3-for-4 for the RedHawks, who claimed 11 hits and stranded 11 runners. Shuey and Matter each had two-hit games as well. Remy Edwards (4-5) took the loss, giving up three hits, including the Bartolovich homer, in two-thirds of an inning of relief. Fredericks surrendered three runs on three hits and walked three in 2.1 innings in the start.
 
Roberts improved to 4-14 on the season, scattering 11 hits and picking up two strikeouts in the contest.
 
The win took a bit of the sting out of a 9-2 loss in the opener.
 
KC Straley and Ferrante went 1-for-2 with one run scored each to lead the Norse offense in the opener.  Coons, Roy, Bartolovich and Allie Conner each recorded a hit, while Alyssa Enrique (0-10) suffered the loss in the circle after giving up six runs on 10 hits with two strikeouts over 3.2 innings of work.  Alex Caudill gave up three runs, only one of which was earned, on four hits in 3.1 innings of relief.
 
Miami wasted no time opening the game's scoring as Tiyona Marshall, who hit a leadoff single to left field, scored on a McIntyre single up the middle in the first inning before the RedHawks tacked on two more runs in the third. 
 
A Marshall single allowed McChesney, who hit a bunt single to spark the offense, to come home for a 2-0 lead, and Marshall advanced to second on the throw home.  A bunt single from Busby sent Marshall to third, and Busby proceeded to steal second.  McIntyre's sacrifice fly brought Marshall home to push the Miami advantage to three.
 
After the RedHawks stretched their lead to 6-0 on a three-run top of the fourth, NKU plated a pair of runs. Straley led off the Norse half with a single up the middle, and she went to second when Ferrante drew a one-out walk.  A Roy infield single loaded the bases before Bartolovich sent the first pitch she saw into left field to put the Norse on the scoreboard as Straley scored.  With two outs, Ashlynn Roberts reached as second baseman Kaitlyn Gliha struggled to field the ball, and Ferrante came home to cut the NKU deficit to 6-2.
 
Miami added one run in the top of the fifth and two more in the seventh for the final margin of the game.
 
Marshall paced the Miami offense, going 3-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs scored, while Remy Edwards finished 3-for-4 and scored three times as well.  Busby, McChesney and Kat Lee each posted two-hit games.
 
Amber Logemann (25-9) allowed just two runs, one earned, on five hits with eight strikeouts and two walks over five innings to earn the victory in the circle for the RedHawks.  Megan Mattera pitched two innings of one-hit relief, and she struck out one batter.
 
NKU will close out the 2015 season this weekend with a three-game series against Atlantic Sun Conference foe Jacksonville. Friday's doubleheader and Saturday's season finale will each begin at 1 p.m. Fans are encouraged to arrive early on Saturday as the Norse will honor their seniors with a pregame ceremony.