LIVONIA, Mich. – Northern Kentucky softball split the final two games in the series against Horizon League foe Oakland on Sunday afternoon, falling 7-3 in the first game before claiming a 5-3 win in the series finale. NKU moves to 7-23 and 2-4 in Horizon League play, while Oakland went to 9-14 (2-4 HL).

Game 1: Oakland 7, NKU 3

At the Plate

·         Senior Dani Devlin went 2-for-4 as the team's designated player, both of which were home runs for the second time this season that Devlin has clubbed a pair of homers in the same game. She contributed to all three of NKU's runs with three RBI.

·         Freshman shortstop Toree Stalter and sophomore catcher also had multi-hit games, with Stalter going 2-for-4 from the dish with one run while Meter had a 2-for-3 outing.

·         Taylor Brummell, Ava Lawson and Zahrya McFarland also recorded hits for the Norse.

In the Circle

·        Charlie Nolen got the start for NKU and moved to 2-5 on the season with the setback. Nolen surrendered seven runs on seven hits.

·         Freshman Taylor Ginther tossed the last two innings and did not concede a hit, walking one.

Key Moments

·      NKU plated the first two runs of the contest when Devlin homered to center field, scoring herself and Stalter after a leadoff single up the middle.

·         Oakland answered back with two runs of its own, and posted its final five runs in the third and fourth innings capped off by a three-run home run to right field.

·         Devlin gave NKU its final run in the fifth, with a solo home run to left field.

Game 2: NKU 5, Oakland 3

At the Plate

·        Oakland out-hit the Norse 10-6, but NKU was able to use those six hits to plate five runs for the win.

·         Freshman rightfielder Kailey Rossiter had the second multi-hit game of her career with a 2-for-3 effort to go with two of NKU's runs scored.

·         Devlin and Lawson both added a pair of RBI, Devlin off a 1-for-3 performance at the plate courtesy of a home run while Lawson 1-for-1.

In the Circle

·        Ginther got her first start in the circle but gave up three hits and two runs in one inning of work.

·         Junior Ashlynn Roberts pitched the last six innings and got her third win of the season, with seven hits and one run allowed. Roberts fanned three batters and walked two.

Key Moments

·         Oakland took the lead with a run apiece in the first and second innings, using an RBI double and an RBI single to plate its first runs.

·         Devlin was able to tie the score up with her third and final homer of the day, knocking it past center field and sending Rossiter across the plate.

·         In the fifth, NKU was able to lead the bases after Rossiter and Stalter singled and Devlin was intentionally walked. Ashley Rains drew a walk to get Rossiter home, and Ava Lawson immediately followed it up with a two-run single to right field.

·         The Golden Grizzlies used an RBI single for a third run, but were unable to score as the Norse capped off the series with a win.

Norse Notes

·         Oakland moves to 5-2 in the all-time series with NKU.

·         Devlin had her third and fourth multi-RBI games of the season, which leads the team. She also recorded her eighth multi-hit game to tie Paige McQueen for the lead in the category.

·         Devlin and Stalter were the only Norse to record at least one hit in every game of the series.

·         Rossiter held the highest batting average in the series with the Golden Grizzlies, going 3-for-7 from the plate for .429, and recorded NKU's only double of the series.

·         Devlin and Stalter both batted .400, with Devlin slugging 1.300 after clubbing three homers and driving in five runs.

Up Next

·        NKU remains on the road for a mid-week doubleheader at Morehead State, scheduled for 2 p.m. on April 4.

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