HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky softball fell in eight innings to Wright State, 5-4, before bouncing back with a 13-7 victory in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader. NKU moves to 10-20 overall and 3-4 in Horizon League play while the Raiders now sit at 15-19 (3-5 Horizon).
Game 1: Wright State 5, NKU 4
At the Plate
In the Circle
- Taylor Ginther got the start in the circle, pitching 3.0 innings with one strikeout and one walk surrendered.
- Hailey Whitmer added 4.0 innings of work, striking out three batters and walking two. She drops to 2-1 with the setback.
Scoring Summary
- Wright State established a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second following a two-run homer.
- The Raiders extended out to a 3-0 lead thanks to a double followed by an RBI single.
- NKU scored its first run of the game in the top of the fifth inning, as Mulder recorded NKU's first hit of the contest with a single to center field. She advanced to third on Jenkins' single to left field and reached home on an error by the Wright State second baseman.
- Wright State answered back with a solo home run in the bottom of the frame.
- The Norse loaded the bases in the top of the sixth after drawing a trio of walks. Lawson scored on a passed ball to bring NKU within a pair of runs, 4-2.
- NKU tied it up in the seventh inning, starting with a Stalter single to right center. She was driven in off a single to center field from pinch hitter Koperdak. Alexander returned to run after Koperdak's at-bat, and she scored on a double to center field by McFarland.
- Wright State loaded the bases in the eighth, walking off with the win as a single to shortstop drove in the runner on third.
Game 2: NKU 13, Wright State 7
At the Plate
- NKU scored a season-high 13 runs off 13 hits. Wright State also had a high-hitting effort, with 10.
- Five different Norse had a multi-hit game. Lawson led the way, going 3-for-4 from the plate with two RBI. Josie Frazier and Taylor Hoover were 2-for-5, with Frazier scoring a pair of runs while Hoover drove in four runs. Jenkins added a 2-for-4 outing with one RBI and Toree Stalter was 2-for-2 with two walks drawn while scoring three runs.
- Koperdak added a multi-RBI game, driving in a pair of runs and scoring two of her own while going 2-for-4.
- Koperdak, Hoover, Lawson and Stalter each had a double in the contest.
In the Circle
- Koperdak picked up her second career victory, pitching 5.0 innings with one strikeout and three batters walked.
- Taylor Ginther added 2.0 innings of relief, allowing four hits and walking one batter.
Scoring Summary
- Wright State plated one run in the bottom of the third to open up scoring, as a single to center field allowed a runner on second to reach home.
- The Norse took the lead with a big fifth inning, batting all the way around the lineup and scoring six runs. Jenkins singled to left field and Kambra Crist went in to pinch run, advancing to second on a groundout. Stalter drew a walk and Frazier singled to the WSU shortstop to load the bases before McFarland drew a walk to score Crist. Hoover then doubled to right field, sending all three runners on base home. Alexis McDaniel later scored on a passed ball, while Alexander reached home thanks to a wild pitch to give NKU a 6-1 edge.
- The Raiders scored two more runs on an RBI groundout and an RBI single to right center, making it a three-run game.
- NKU's offense kept strong in the sixth frame with four more runs. Stalter and McFarland reached base and were driven in thanks to a double to right field by Koperdak, who later scored off a single to right field by Lawson. Jenkins then singled to left center, scoring Whitmer.
- Wright State added four more runs in the sixth off a fielder's choice, a fielding error and a two-RBI single.
- Stalter led off the seventh with a double to left field before advancing to third thanks to a single from Frazier. She was sent home off a Hoover single to shortstop. Frazier then scored on an error by the Wright State second baseman, and Koperdak was driven in by a Lawson double to right field.
Up Next
- The Norse and the Raiders will conclude the series tomorrow afternoon, with first pitch of the rubber match set for 4 p.m. ET.
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