HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky softball fell in its home opener to Miami (Ohio), suffering a 6-1 setback before an 8-0 loss to the RedHawks. With the pair of losses, NKU drops to 5-17 overall, while Miami moved on to 14-11.
Game 1: Miami 6, NKU 1
At the Plate
In the Circle
- Junior Ashlynn Roberts made the start, falling to 2-5 on the season after pitching 4.1 innings with seven hits and three runs allowed.
- Freshman Taylor Ginther took over in the fourth inning, tossing the remaining 2.2 innings with two hits and one run permitted.
Key Moments
- Neither team was able to score until the fifth inning, when Miami plated three runs off an RBI single immediately followed by an RBI double.
- The Norse got on the board in the sixth, when Lawson singled through the left side to score McQueen.
- The RedHawks had another three-run inning in the seventh to close out the contest.
Game 2: Miami 8, NKU 0
At the Plate
- NKU registered four hits, led by a 2-for-2 effort from McQueen.
- Alexander and Lawson also clubbed a hit apiece as the only two Norse to record a hit in both halves of the doubleheader.
In the Circle
- Freshman Vega Theophilus made her second career start, pitching 2.1 innings that saw nine hits and seven runs.
- Ginther appeared in relief, tossing 2.2 innings and allowing three hits and a run while striking out one batter.
Key Moments
- The Redhawks steadily scored, with two runs in the first and second innings, three in the third and one in the fourth.
- A two-run double in the third gave Miami a 7-0 advantage, allowing the RedHawks to close the game out in five innings after an error allowed MU to plate its final run in the fourth inning.
- The Norse put up a fight in the bottom of the fourth, with McQueen and Lawson lacing back-to-back two-out singles.
Norse Notes
- NKU drops to 1-6 all-time against Miami.
- The RedHawks, who entered the game ranking 12th in the nation with 1.17 home runs per game, were denied a round-tripper in both games of the doubleheader.
- Alexander now leads the team in active reached base streaks, extending to four games.
- Lawson leads the team in active hitting streaks, having registered a hit in the past three games.
- McQueen's 2-for-2 effort in the second game was her fifth multi-hit game of the season.
Up Next
- The Norse open up Horizon League action this weekend, welcoming Valparaiso to Grein Softball Field on Friday and Saturday, March 24. NKU hosts the Crusaders for a single game on Friday with first pitch at 3 p.m., followed by a Saturday doubleheader starting at noon.
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