CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Northern Kentucky University softball team suffered a setback on Wednesday afternoon, dropping games to Penn and Butler during NKU's Spring Break swing through Florida.
Penn took a 10-1 victory in the early contest, while Butler won a 7-0 decision to close out the day's action. With the results, NKU moves to 5-12 on the season.
Game 1 – Penn 10, NKU 1 Lauren Li's three-run homer in the top of the first inning gave Penn all the cushion it needed to claim the victory. The Quakers added a run in the fourth inning and two more in the fifth before the Norse got on the board on
Alina Maher's fifth home run of the season, a solo shot to left field.
Penn picked up four more runs in the sixth inning to push the game to its conclusion.
Kanani Datan went 3-for-4 and scored two runs, while Jessica England was 2-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored.
Jordan Harbacek led the Norse offensively, going 2-for-3 on the game.
Alexis Sargent (3-1) took the win for Penn, scattering four hits and striking out six in the complete game. The loss fell to Norse starter
Charlie Nolen (3-5), who gave up four runs on seven hits and struck out one in three innings.
Game 2 – Butler 7, NKU 0 The Norse could not solve Butler pitcher Kristin Gutierrez in the late game, as NKU could not manage a hit in the contest.
Maggie MacBeth provided all the edge the Bulldogs (10-9) would need in the first inning, reaching on a single to lead off the game before stealing second and third and coming home on a throwing error. Butler scored another run in the fourth before plating four runs in the fifth inning to put the game away.
Gutierrez (4-4) struck out five and walked three in the victory, while
Jordan Harbacek (2-3) took the loss, surrendering six unearned runs in 4.2 innings, striking out two.
NKU takes a day off on Thursday before returning to action at the Under Armour Showcase, hosted by USF. Friday's action will see the Norse take on South Dakota at 9:30 a.m. before an afternoon matchup with East Carolina.
