DETROIT – Northern Kentucky softball split the doubleheader opener of its series with Detroit Mercy on Saturday, winning the first game 6-2 before UDM claimed a 6-5 win to close out the day. Heading into the rubber game, NKU moved to 9-24 overall and 3-5 in the Horizon League, while the Titans sit at 7-25 (4-4 HL).
Game 1: NKU 6, Detroit Mercy 2
At the Plate
- Alina Maher made her first start of the season at first base, and had a strong outing after going 2-for-3 with one run batted in and two scored on her own. Maher recorded her first home run of the season, and sixth of her career in the win.
- Kara Meter boosted NKU to victory with a three-run home run, while Toree Stalter drove in the remaining two runs for the Norse. The home run was the first of the season for Meter, and just the second of her career.
- The Norse were struck out just twice in the front end of the doubleheader.
In the Circle
- Senior Charlie Nolen pitched a complete game, allowing six hits while striking out six batters and walking three. Nolen moves to 3-6 this season.
Key Moments
- The Norse used a huge second inning to plate five runs, starting with Sydney Ferrante drawing a walk before Maher singled through the left to get on base and Zahrya McFarland had a successful bunt to get on base. With the bases loaded, Stalter laced a single to right field to score Ferrante and Maher. Kailey Rossiter followed up by reaching first on a fielder's choice, and Kara Meter clubbed her first homer of the season to send Maher and Rossiter across the plate along with her.
- Maher used a leadoff home run in the fifth inning to give NKU its final run of the game.
- The Titans avoided a shutout with two unearned runs in the seventh inning.
Game 2: Detroit Mercy 6, NKU 5
At the Plate
- The Norse had the edge over the Titans in hits, 9-8, with three Norse recording multi-hit games.
- Dani Devlin went 2-for-3 at the plate and scored two of NKU's runs. The senior DP recorded her ninth home run of the season.
- Ava Lawson drove in three runs, going 2-for-4 in a performance that included her second triple of the year.
- Toree Stalter also posted a multi-hit outing, going 2-for-4 with one run scored.
In the Circle
- Junior Ashlynn Roberts tossed 5.1 innings, striking out three and walking one while allowing seven hits and six runs. She drops to 4-9 on the season.
- Freshman Taylor Ginther came on in relief for the final .2 innings of work, allowing just one hit.
Key Moments
- Devlin got the Norse on the board early with a two-out home run in the first inning.
- NKU was unable to plate runs until the fifth inning, allowing Detroit Mercy to claim a 2-1 lead in the meantime after a third-inning double sent two across the UDM plate.
- Lawson recorded her first RBI of the game in the fifth, driving Isabell Alexander in to knot the score at 2-2.
- A fielding error allowed Stalter to score in the sixth inning to give NKU a 3-2 advantage before Lawson tripled down the right field line to send Meter and Devlin home, giving the Norse a 5-2 edge.
- Detroit Mercy used a strong sixth inning to change the lead one final time, bolstered by a pair of home runs. NKU was retired in order in the seventh to give the Titans the win.
Norse Notes
- Detroit now sits at 3-2 in the all-time series, and NKU has a chance to knot it up and claim the weekend series win with a victory in tomorrow's finale.
- Devlin had her ninth multi-hit game of the season thanks to her performance in the second game. Lawson had her eighth of the season, while Stalter recorded her sixth.
- With three RBI in game one, Meter had her first multi-RBI game of the year. Lawson moved on to tie Devlin and McFarland for the team lead with her fourth.
- Lawson also holds the team's longest active hitting streak, which increased to six games.
- Thus far in the series, Lawson leads the team with a .500 batting average while also slugging .833. Devlin and Maher are both batting .429, with Devlin slugging 1.000 while Maher is slugging .857.
Up Next
- The Norse wrap up the series with the Titans tomorrow at 11 a.m. ET.
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