HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University softball team had a hard-fought battle on Tuesday, but dropped both ends of a Horizon League doubleheader to Wright State, falling by scores of 3-1 and 8-1.
With the results, NKU falls to 9-32 overall and 2-11 in Horizon League play, as the teams will wrap up their three-game series on Wednesday. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. with the action carried live on ESPN3.
Game 1
Kate Bartolovich's RBI double was one of five hits for the Norse in the opener as Wright State claimed a 3-1 victory.
After Wright State plated a run in the top of the first inning, the Norse got the offense going. After
Jordan Harbacek singled and was lifted for a pinch runner,
Dani Devlin smoked a double to the gap in left-center field as pinch runner
Ashlynn Roberts was cut down at the plate to maintain the one-run lead.
NKU got on the board in the bottom of the second.
Sydney Ferrante's one-out single started things off before she was taken off the base paths on a fielder's choice.
Ashley Rains kept the rally going with a single before Bartolovich's double tied the game.
Wright State added a pair of runs in the fifth as Raiders pitcher Ashley Sharp (15-5) did not allow a baserunner after the second inning to reach the final score.
Honnah Susor went 3-for-4 with a triple and a run scored as Wright State claimed 10 hits on the contest.
Game 2
Paige McQueen went 2-for-2 and
Zahrya McFarland doubled and scored, but Wright State scored eight runs in the final three innings to take an 8-1 win to secure the doubleheader sweep.
McFarland led things off with a double in the bottom of the second inning and quickly took third on a wild pitch. Another wild one, which proved to be ball four to Rains, brought McFarland in and gave the Norse a 1-0 lead.
The score held as
Charlie Nolen was strong early, retiring the first 11 batters she faced in order before giving up a two-out double in the top of the fourth.
The Raiders tied the game in the fifth inning on a Hanna Floyd RBI single before taking advantage of a pair of Norse errors to plate four runs in the sixth.
Becca Peterson and Salyers each posted triples in two-hit days as the Raiders posted seven hits on the day. Ally Russell (8-3) scattered five hits and struck out five in the win.