HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University softball team will close out its 2015 season this weekend with a three-game series against Atlantic Sun Conference foe Jacksonville. Friday's doubleheader has been moved a 2 p.m. start, and Saturday's season finale will begin at 1 p.m. Links for live stats for all three games and the ASun.TV broadcast of Sunday's game will be available at NKUNorse.com.
Jacksonville University Dolphins (24-26, 7-11 A-Sun)Northern Kentucky University Norse (6-39, 1-17 A-Sun)Frank Ignatius Grein Softball Field – Highland Heights, Ky.
May 1 – 2 p.m. (DH)
May 2 – 1 p.m.
Series History: Jacksonville leads, 7-0
First meeting: 1994 – location unknown (JU 8-3)
Last meeting: March 9, 2014 at Jacksonville (JU 7-1)
#StartingNine – Tweetable notes about NKU softball this weekend Saturday will mark the final collegiate game for five young ladies in the Black and Gold. #SeniorDay Alex Caudill,
Allie Conner,
Katelyn Roy,
KC Straley and
Taylor Zuberer will be honored in a special pregame ceremony on Saturday to celebrate their careers at NKU. Fans are encouraged to arrive early for the festivities.
NKU battled back from a three-run deficit to defeat Miami, 5-3, and split a doubleheader on Tuesday. #LastTimeOut Katelyn Roy hit a three-run homer and
Kate Bartolovich drove in two runs as the Norse scored five unanswered runs to take the win.
Katelyn Roy and Kate Bartolovich hit NKU's first back-to-back homers since the 2013 season. #DropBombs The last time the feat occurred was on April 6, 2013, when
Alexis VanHorn and
Dana Jarboe went back-to-back against Jacksonville in a 4-2 extra-inning loss.
Ashlynn Roberts pitched out of several big jams to preserve NKU's lead in the win over Miami. #BendDontBreak Roberts had runners on base in each of the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, but was able to rely on her defense to work out of it, including a quick-reflex catch on a sharp liner back into the circle to end the sixth and a diving catch by
Allie Conner to end the game.
Dani Devlin's nine home runs are the most by an NKU player in the Division I era. #Mash The sophomore catcher leads the team in the category, and the nine-homer effort is the sixth-best in NKU history for a single season. The total is made more impressive by the fact that Devlin did not record a home run during her freshman campaign.
As a team, NKU has compiled 91 extra-base hits this year, the most for the team in the Division I era. #EverybodyMash The Norse have hit 57 doubles, eight triples and 26 home runs entering the weekend's action. Last season, NKU totaled 60 extra base hits, and in 2013 NKU posted 88 knocks that put a runner past first base.
Allie Conner's four-game hit streak stands as NKU's longest current run. #KeepSwinging The senior outfielder has batted .400 over the stretch, hitting in the No. 9 and leadoff positions in the lineup. Conner shares the team lead with three triples on the season.
Alex Caudill's 106 career pitching appearances rank third all-time at NKU. #EverydayAlex The senior hurler has put in 73 innings of work in 24 games this season, compiling 21 strikeouts over the span.
Jacksonville is still fighting for a spot in the @ASunSoftball Championship after taking two of three from Stetson in midweek action. #Dolphins JU stands at 25-26 overall and 7-11 in A-Sun play, and the Norse have a chance to play spoiler by taking two of three in the weekend series. Victoria Brown stands as the team's leading offensive and pitching player, entering the weekend with a .374 batting average, nine home runs, 34 RBIs and 49 runs scored to go with a 17-17 record in the circle, a 2.73 ERA and 115 strikeouts in 218 innings of work. Ashley Simon adds six home runs and 33 RBIs to a .283 batting average as well.
