HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky softball picked up a pair of wins over Green Bay on Saturday afternoon to take the series against the Phoenix, moving to 19-19 overall and 6-10 in Horizon League play. The Norse won by one run in each game, 2-1 in the first and 4-3 in the second.
Game 1: NKU 2, Green Bay 1
At the Plate
- Six different Norse contributed to NKU's sextet of hits, while Green Bay was held to four.
- Taylor Brummell was 1-for-1 with one run both batted in and scored. The senior also drew two walks.
- Zahrya McFarland also notched an RBI, going 1-for-3 from the dish.
In the Circle
- Ashlynn Roberts got her eighth win of the season after pitching her sixth complete game of the season. She fanned 11 batters and allowed just three walks, marking the first time since March 24, 2017 against Valparaiso, that she has struck out at least 10 batters.
Scoring Summary
- NKU quickly got on the board when Brummell drove Josie Frazier in for a run in the top of the first inning.
- The score remained stagnant until the sixth. During that time, Roberts had two strikeouts in each of the innings and retired the Phoenix in order in four of the five frames.
- The Norse went out to a 2-0 lead in the sixth when Brummell drew a walk and was driven in off a single from McFarland to left field.
- The Phoenix made a push in the seventh, plating one run off a single to shortstop. Green Bay then tried to tie the contest as the runner who had advanced to third made her way home, but Alina Maher connected with Madi Mulder to record the final out at the plate.
Game 2: NKU 4, Green Bay 3
At the Plate
- Green Bay held a slight edge in hits over the Norse, 8-7.
- Hailey Whitmer recorded the only multi-hit performance, going 2-for-3.
- Maher went 1-for-1, drawing three walks while scoring a run.
- Ava Lawson and Sydney Ferrante each recorded an RBI for the Norse.
In the Circle
- Taylor Ginther started for the Norse, tossing 5.0 innings with four strikeouts and three batters walked. She moves to 8-9 with the victory.
- Roberts pitched the final 2.0 innings in relief, adding three more strikeouts to her tally for the day while issuing just one walk. She picked up the save, her first of the season.
Scoring Summary
- Green Bay took the lead with runs scored in the third and fourth innings, crossing the plate off an RBI single in the third and an error in the fourth.
- NKU plated two runs in the fifth off a series of errors. Lawson was walked, and then advanced to third when Josie Frazier reached on an error by the Green Bay first baseman. Another error from the Phoenix first baseman allowed Brummell to reach base, which got Lawson across the plate and Frazier to third.
- Frazier scored on a suicide squeeze from Ferrante to knot the contest up at 2-2.
- Maher led off the sixth with a triple to right field and advanced home off a throwing error. Whitmer followed up with a double through the left side, and Alexis McDaniel, who entered as a pinch runner for Whitmer, was driven in off a sac fly from Lawson.
- Once again, Green Bay tried to make a run in the final inning and got one runner across the plate, but Roberts struck the final Phoenix out swinging.
Up Next
- NKU takes to the road to face No. 20 Kentucky on Tuesday, April 24. First pitch from Lexington will be at 6 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on SEC Network+.
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