HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky softball heads into the postseason this week at the Horizon League Championship, hosted by top-seeded UIC. The tournament will be held Wednesday-Saturday, May 9-12, in Chicago, and all games will be broadcast on ESPN+. The Norse face No. 4 seed Wright State in the opening game, set for a 12 p.m. CT first pitch on Wednesday. The winner will advance to play UIC at noon on Thursday, while the loser will play the loser of the No. 3 Youngstown State versus No. 6 IUPUI matchup on Wednesday evening.
LAST TIME OUT: The Norse punched their ticket to their first-ever Division I postseason appearance with a sweep of Detroit Mercy on Senior Weekend.
Ashlynn Roberts picked up a pair of wins in a 5-2 series opener followed by a 7-4 victory on Saturday before the Titans elected to forfeit the series finale.
Taylor Brummell had a highlight reel-worthy play on Saturday, uncorking on the first pitch of UDM's relief pitcher to record NKU's first grand slam in over two years.
AWARDS SEASON: NKU had three players named to an all-conference team for the first time since transitioning to Division I.
Sydney Ferrante and
Ava Lawson were both named to the All-Horizon League First Team, while Brummell was honored on the All-Horizon League Second Team.
ACADEMIC ACCOLADES: The Horizon League announced on Wednesday, May 2, that senior shortstop Brummell was named to the Horizon League All-Academic Team. Brummell is the first softball player to earn all-academic distinction since the Norse transitioned to Division I, boasting a 3.741 grade point average as a history major.
SEASON NOTABLES: NKU finds itself among the Horizon League's top statistics in several categories. The Norse rank second in the League in batting average (.280), while ranking fourth in scoring (3.82 runs per game) and slugging percentage (.3622). Individually, Ferrante ranks second in the League with .81 RBI per game and tops the nation with seven sacrifice flies. Her .375 batting average and .586 slugging percentage both rank fifth in the League. Since entering League play, Lawson has stepped up to lead the Norse in batting average (.393), slugging percentage (.672), RBI (19) and home runs (4), ranking in the top-five of Horizon League players in those categories.
SCOUTING WRIGHT STATE: NKU has not seen Wright State since its Horizon League opener that saw the Norse sweep a doubleheader, 2-1 and 7-0. Roberts and Lawson were the standouts in the series, earning Horizon League Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively. Roberts tossed the first 5.0 innings of NKU's 7-0 shutout, which also featured Lawson tying NKU's Division I-era single-game record for RBI as she drove in six runs off a double and back-to-back home runs.
Since the last meeting, Wright State earned the No. 4 seed into the tournament with a 12-10 mark. The Raiders' roster is highlighted by the 2018 Horizon League Pitcher of the Year, Ashley Sharp, who topped the League with a 1.17 ERA. Sharp struck out 75 batters during the League slate, holding teams to a .223 batting average to earn the distinction of the League's top hurler. Honnah Susor joined Sharp on the All-Horizon League First Team with a .306 batting average, 22 hits and 16 runs scored in League action.
