HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky softball returns to the field after a short break from action, traveling to Madeira Beach, Florida, for the Madeira Beach Invitational hosted by Eastern Michigan. The Norse will be participating in the final week of the Invitational, with five games between Friday, March 2, to Sunday, March 3. NKU kicks off the tournament on Friday with its lone game of the day, taking on Incarnate Word at 4 p.m. On Saturday, the Norse face La Salle at 11 a.m. and host EMU at 1:30 p.m., and the tournament wraps up on Sunday with LIU Brooklyn at 9 a.m. and Buffalo at 11:30 a.m..
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Norse started the season at 2-2 for the first time since transitioning to Division I. NKU shook the rust off after setbacks to Morehead State and Campbell on the first day of the Campbell Invitational and rallied back for wins over Bucknell, 3-2, and Campbell, 5-4. All four of NKU's freshmen got significant action, highlighted by first baseman Madi Mulder. The rookie led the Norse with six hits and four RBI, also scoring a pair of runs on her own. Sydney Ferrante looked in prime condition at the plate, clubbing three doubles in the first three games of the season to move into ninth on NKU's all-time career doubles list.
 
SCOUTING INCARNATE WORD: The Cardinals are searching for their first win of the season, sitting at 0-4 after taking on a competitive field at the Texas Classic. Victoria Brachter leads the team at the dish with a .364 batting average, four hits, three RBI and one run. Marcela Lopez is also batting above .300 with four hits, driving in two runs this season for UIW. In the circle, Sarah Leal carries a 4.08 ERA in two complete games. The Cardinal pitching staff averages 7.56 earned runs against, and has walked 18 batters through the first four games.
 
SCOUTING LA SALLE: The Explorers also have not registered a win this season, opening the year at Campbell the weekend after the Norse kicked off their season in North Carolina. La Salle has plated four runs this year and has registered 10 hits through four games with four different players with two hits apiece. Valerie Pineiro sits atop the team's stat sheet with a .286 batting average, two hits, two RBI and two runs scored, along with a .714 slugging percentage. Marlo Roadcap has put in slightly more time in the circle than the other two hurlers on the squad, pitching 9.0 innings with 10 strikeouts and a 4.67 ERA.
 
SCOUTING EASTERN MICHIGAN: The Eagles have spent their entire preseason in Florida so far, hosting two previous segments of the Madeira Beach Invitational. EMU sports a 2-8 record, with wins against Rhode Island and Manhattan. Amanda Akles has started all 10 games for the Eagles and is batting .314 with 11 hits, three RBI and three runs scored. Sam Saporito and Haley Hostetler each have nine hits apiece, whith Hostetler leading the Eagles in runs, with six. EMU relies heavily on Nicolle Miranda and Trisha Trujillo in the circle, both holding under a 3.00 ERA. Miranda has pitched 44.1 innings and fanned 24 batters, while Trujillo has 23.1 innings under her belt and has struck out 15 batters.
 
SCOUTING LIU BROOKLYN: The Blackbirds took on the field in two Florida tournaments and one in California, accruing a 3-11 record in that span. Four Blackbirds are batting over .300, and five have double-digit hits on the season. Victoria Zamora leads the team in hits, with 16, and has driven in four runs and scored eight. Ryleigh Bermea brings a heavy bat to the plate, leading the team with three home runs to drive in 10 runs while scoring an additional nine of her own. LIU Brooklyn's pitchers all have an ERA above 5.00, with Erynn Sobieski on the lower end with a 5.19 ERA. She has picked up one of the Blackbirds' wins and has struck out 15 batters and walked nine in 29.2 innings of work.
 
SCOUTING BUFFALO: The Bulls enter the weekend with the best winning percentage of NKU's opponents at 5-7 overall. Buffalo ranks fourth in the nation with .58 triples per game, boasting five different players who have clubbed at least one triple this year. Anna Aguon has recorded two such hits, along with three home runs and two doubles in her 18 hits. Aguon is ranked 110th nationally with a .439 batting average, and is one of three Bulls ranked in the nation's top-80 in slugging percentage along with Jenelle Martinez and Ufuoma Ogagan. On the flip side of Buffalo's five runs per game average, the pitching staff holds a 7.24 ERA. Ally Power and Lace Smith spend the most time in the circle, with Power striking out 32 in 41.1 innings pitched. She has picked up four of Buffalo's five wins and has had four complete games for the Bulls.