HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky softball will play its first series in Highland Heights this weekend, hosting IUPUI in the Horizon League opener on Friday-Saturday, March 22-23. Friday will feature a single game with first pitch at 4 p.m., while Saturday will be a 1 p.m. doubleheader. All games of the series will be broadcast on ESPN3.

LAST TIME OUT: NKU went 3-2 in its final weekend of tournament play, picking up two wins over Southern Utah and one over Idaho State. The Norse had a thrilling comeback win against the Bengals, as a trio of home runs from Emily Koperdak, Madi Mulder and Kit Rocco gave the Norse a 7-5 victory. In the next meeting with Idaho State, Taylor Ginther pitched her second complete-game shutout of the year en route to a 3-0 win. Ginther was later named the Nike® Horizon League Pitcher of the Week after going 2-1 on the weekend.
 
SCOUTING IUPUI: Coming into opening weekend, the Jaguars sit at the bottom of the Horizon League standings with a 6-21 record. IUPUI returns a pair of All-Horizon League Second Team honorees in Mandy Dallas and Megan Overton, but Overton has not been seen in the circle this season for the Jaguars. Dallas has continued to start all 27 games for IUPUI, batting .271 with a team-best 15 runs driven in. Right behind her in RBI is Haley Ginger with 14 RBI and nine extra-base hits to pace the team in the latter category. The Jaguars have struggled from the circle with a team ERA of 8.13. Lexi Lucas holds the lowest average at a 6.25 ERA and has picked up four of the team's six wins this year. Lucas has spent 93.2 innings in the circle, striking out 42 while walking 11, with her .83 walks per seven innings ranking ninth nationally. IUPUI holds a 10-3 advantage in the all-time series. NKU took a game off the Jaguars last season as IUPUI won the series, 2-1, on April 6-7, 2018.