DETROIT – Northern Kentucky softball split a doubleheader at Detroit Mercy on Saturday afternoon, falling in a 4-0 decision in the first game before winning the series finale, 6-4. The Norse move to 17-28 overall and 10-10 in Horizon League play, while the Titans now sit at 25-24 (14-7 Horizon). The Norse have clinched a spot in the 2019 Horizon League Softball Tournament, currently sitting in fifth in the standings. The Norse can finish no lower than sixth as they cannot fall below Oakland (9-14), with the Golden Grizzlies having completed the league slate this weekend, and only Wright State (8-13) has the ability to post a better winning percentage than the Norse with the final series of the season left to play.
Game 1: Detroit Mercy 4, NKU 0
At the Plate
In the Circle
- Emily Koperdak got the start and fell to 3-14 with the setback.
- Haiely Whitmer pitched 5.0 innings, allowing just four hits and not permitting a run.
Scoring Summary
- Detroit Mercy had three hits on in the first three at-bats of the contest, with the latter two being home runs as the Titans took a 3-0 lead.
- The Titans led off the second inning with a solo home run, prompting Whitmer to enter the circle and finish the game as UDM would not score another run.
Game 2: NKU 6, Detroit Mercy 4
At the Plate
- The Titans posted a slim 7-6 advantage in hits.
- Mulder had the only multi-hit performance for NKU, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
- McFarland went 1-for-4 with a double, scoring a pair of runs. Ava Lawson was also 1-for-4 with two runs scored.
- Hailey Whitmer drove in two runs off a 1-for-3 performance from the plate.
In the Circle
- Taylor Ginther pitched a complete game, striking out two batters and walking three, with just one earned run charged against her. She moves to 11-13 on the season with the victory and becomes NKU's winningest pitcher of the Division I era as her 20 career wins surpass Ashlynn Roberts' 19 victories.
Scoring Summary
- The Norse got on the board early, starting with a double to right center by McFarland. She was driven in immediately by Mulder singling to right field.
- A pair of errors allowed UDM to swing the lead in its favor, 3-1, in the bottom of the second inning.
- The Titans extended their lead in the fourth as a runner scored off a sacrifice bunt.
- NKU used a strong fifth inning to pull ahead. A botched fielder's choice by the UDM second baseman allowed McFarland and Josie Frazier to score after the Norse had loaded the bases. NKU then tied it up with an RBI groundout from Whitmer, scoring Mulder, and the Norse took the lead as Kailey Rossiter singled to the shortstop to send Lawson home.
- Whitmer added an insurance run in the seventh, singling to center field to score Lawson on another run.
Up Next
- The Norse return home for the final nonconference matchup of the regular season when NKU plays host to Miami (Ohio) on Tuesday, April 30. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 3 p.m. ET and both games will be broadcast on ESPN+.
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