HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky softball closes out Spring Break with the USF Under Armour Showcase, hosted by South Florida on Friday-Sunday, March 9-11. NKU kicks the tournament off against Robert Morris at 11:30 a.m. on Friday before a 2 p.m. showdown with Rider. Saturday features a 9 a.m. game against Seton Hall, immediately followed by Bethune-Cookman at 11:15 a.m. The Norse have another early start on the final day of the tournament, squaring off against Iona at 9 a.m. on Sunday.

LAST TIME OUT: NKU split its two midweek contests, falling to Binghamton, 6-4, before bouncing back with the first shutout of the season against Loyola Chicago, 2-0. Taylor Ginther pitched the first complete game shutout of her career, while Josie Frazier and Taylor Brummell each drove in a run. Sydney Ferrante recorded her fourth double of the season, which moves her up to No. 7 on NKU's all-time career doubles list, with 34.
 
SWEEPS WEEK: In addition to a 4-1 record at the Madeira Beach Invitational, Madi Mulder and Taylor Ginther were named the Horizon League Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, on March 5. It marked the first time since the 2005 season that NKU had taken home both weekly awards. Additionally, Mulder was the first freshman to garner distinction this season in the league and Ginther was NKU's first pitcher of the week since Emily Schwaeble on April 23, 2012.
 
SEASON NOTABLES: NKU finds itself among the Horizon League's top statistics in several categories early on in the season. The Norse rank second in the league in scoring, with 4.00 runs per game, batting average (.272), and double plays per game (.45), while ranking third in doubles per game (1.18) and ERA (3.86). Additionally, NKU's double plays turned sit at No. 42 nationally. Individually, Madi Mulder is first in the league and 75th nationally with 1.00 RBI a contest while Sydney Ferrante tops the league and ranks 76th nationally with .36 doubles per game, as well as three sacrifice flies on the season to lead the Horizon League and rank sixth nationally. Also near the top of the league standings are Kailey Rossiter with .89 runs per game and Josie Frazier with .36 sacrifice hits per game to rank second and third in the Horizon, respectively. Frazier is also the toughest player to strike out in the league.
 
SCOUTING ROBERT MORRIS: The Colonials hold a 3-12 mark this season with wins over Kent State, Lafayette and Rider. Robert Morris enters the weekend on an eight-game losing skid, being shut out in five of those contests. Abrielle McCartney and Natalie Higgins lead the Colonials at the plate, batting .326 and .306, respectively, with 14 RBI and 16 runs scored between the pair. RMU has used a variety of pitchers with five different players seeing time in the circle this season. Madison Riggle has been the most utilized, holding a 2-5 record and a 5.17 ERA in 43.1 innings while Laura Coulter has picked up the third win for Robert Morris with a 4.96 ERA in 29.2 innings of work.
 
SCOUTING RIDER: The Broncs sit at 2-6, with both wins coming in their last outing at the Coppin State Eagle Classic with a 24-3 routing of the host Eagles and a 5-4 win over St. Bonaventure.  Junior Kiera Swank leads the nation in batting average (.600) and doubles per game (.67), while Maddy Chain is second nationally with 1.63 RBI a contest. Additionally, Toni Nino is the toughest player to strike out in the NCAA this season, having not been struck out once while clubbing 10 hits and scoring 10 runs to lead the Broncs in both categories. Elyse Cuttic and Emily Oltman have picked up wins for Rider, with Cuttic holding a 3.74 ERA with 14 strikeouts while Oltman has fanned 12 batters, but owns a 7.41 ERA.
 
SCOUTING SETON HALL: Like NKU, the Pirates had a successful outing at the Madeira Beach Invitational with a 4-1 record, sitting at 11-8 overall this season. Seton Hall has played three common opponents with the Norse, defeating LIU Brooklyn (3-1) and Buffalo (3-1), but falling to Loyola Chicago (4-2). Also similar to the Norse, the Pirates have a strong freshman class that has contributed immediately with Janae Barracato leading the Pirates with a .400 batting average and four doubles while Payton Beaver has gone .345 from the plate with six runs batted in and a trio of doubles. In the circle, Madison Strunk holds a 1.85 ERA in 30.1 innings pitched, walking only four batters this season. Reganne Camp is their strikeout leader with 54 this year and has pitched four complete games with 51.2 total innings, holding a 4-2 record and a 2.30 ERA.
 
SCOUTING BETHUNE-COOKMAN: The Wildcats have had a busy preseason slate, going 9-13 in the first couple weeks of competition. Bethune-Cookman will enter the weekend coming off a three-game homestand with a doubleheader sweep of Holy Cross and a single game against UT Martin on Thursday afternoon. Ryan Jackson has been having a strong sophomore season with a .348 batting average and a .768 slugging percentage, thanks in large part to her six home runs on the year to rank 25th nationally. Jackson, along with Iesha Waters and Mariah Davis, all rank in the top-50 nationally in stolen bases, as the Wildcats rank third in the nation as a team with 2.77 stolen bases a game. Bethune-Cookman utilizes a primary trio of pitchers in Alexis Bermudez, Destiny Enriques and Victoria Guzman, with Bermudez leading the staff with a 3-4 record and a 2.83 ERA. Guzman has recorded the most strikeouts, with 36 and has also picked up three wins for the Wildcats.
 
SCOUTING IONA: Iona enters the weekend on a four-game winning streak, most recently taking down ACC member Virginia, 10-6. The 2017 MAAC champions are led by Kimberly Chiapparelli at the plate with a team-high 13 hits and a .448 batting average, while Marisa Gergel has driven in a team-best eight runs. Iona's bats have done well this season, ranking in the top-60 nationally in both slugging percentage (.436) and home runs per game (.89). Alana Evans is a stingy hurler for the Gaels with a 0.98 ERA and 23 strikeouts, which puts her at 37th nationally in ERA and 80th in strikeouts per seven innings (7.5). Marie Skinner has also seen plenty of time in the circle with 19.0 innings of work, and both pitchers have recorded a shutout each on the season.