HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky softball dropped both games of the series-opening doubleheader with Horizon League opponent Cleveland State on Friday, as the Vikings claimed the series with a 7-5 win followed by a 4-1 victory. With the losses, NKU drops to 12-31 overall and 6-11 in League play, while Cleveland State picked up its first League wins of the season to sit at 2-12 and 6-37 overall.
Game 1: Cleveland State 7, NKU 5
At the Plate
- The Norse were out-hit 11-9 by the Vikings.
- Freshmen Toree Stalter and Kailey Rossiter both went 2-for-3 at the plate, with Stalter scoring two runs while Rossiter recorded one.
- Senior DP Dani Devlin drove in four of NKU's five runs on a 1-of-3 effort courtesy of a three-run home run and a sacrifice fly.
- Junior 3B Sydney Ferrante went 1-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored.
In the Circle
- Senior Charlie Nolen fell to 6-9 on the season with the loss, pitching 4.0 innings and allowing seven runs off 10 hits. She struck out two and walked two.
- Freshman Taylor Ginther tossed the final 3.0 innings, allowing just one hit and no runs with one walk.
Key Moments
- Cleveland State got on the board with a two-run home run, followed by an RBI single to take a 3-0 lead.
- Devlin knotted the score at 3-3 with a three-run home run to center field, driving in Stalter and Ferrante.
- NKU was unable to plate any runs until the final frame, whereas CSU had two runs apiece in the third and fourth inning.
- The Norse plated two in the seventh with an RBI double from Ferrante and a sac fly from Meter, but NKU was unable to close the scoring gap any further.
Game 2: Cleveland State 4, NKU 1
At the Plate
- Rossiter had another multi-hit outing, going 2-for-3 along with the first RBI of her career.
- Ava Lawson scored NKU's only run of the contest, going 1-for-2 from the plate.
In the Circle
- Junior Ashlynn Roberts got the start and tossed the first 6.0 innings, allowing four runs off eight hits while striking out two batters and walking two. She drops to 4-12.
- Ginther pitched the final inning, allowing just one hit.
Key Moments
- The Vikings used an RBI single to draw first blood in the opening inning, while the Norse were victim of a double play to close the frame.
- CSU went up 3-0 on a pair of unearned runs in the second inning.
- One final run was earned for the Vikings in the seventh off an RBI single.
- The Norse prevented a shutout in the seventh, as Lawson singled to reach base and advanced to second on an error by the left fielder. After reaching third on a passed ball, Rossiter singled to drive her in before the final out of the contest.
Up Next
The series finale with Cleveland State is scheduled to wrap up tomorrow at noon, with a strong likelihood of being pushed back later in the day or to Sunday depending on the weather.
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