BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Northern Kentucky softball fell in a pair of contests on Friday with an 8-3 setback to Eastern Illinois, followed by a narrow 1-0 loss to Gardner-Webb.
Game 1: Eastern Illinois 8, NKU 3
At the Plate
- The Panthers clubbed eight hits, while NKU had five. Each team had an error.
- Josie Frazier, Taylor Hoover, Ava Lawson, Kailey Rossiter and Toree Stalter each registered a hit. Stalter drove in two runs and scored one of her own courtesy of a home run, while Hoover also added an RBI and a run scored. Lawson scored NKU's third run.
In the Circle
- Taylor Ginther got the start in the circle, tossing 4.0 innings. She absorbs the loss and moves to 2-1 on the year.
- Faith Howard added 0.2 innings of work, striking out two but walking three.
- Lauryn Hicks finished out the last 1.1 innings for NKU with two strikeouts and one hit allowed.
Scoring Summary
- Eastern Illinois got on the board first, using a sac fly in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.
- NKU plated all three of its runs in the second. Lawson led off the frame with a single and was driven in off a Hoover single coupled with an EIU throwing error. Stalter stepped up to the plate next and gave the Norse a 3-1 lead with her two-run homer.
- The Panthers got within a run off another sac fly in the third, and took a 4-3 lead thanks to a two-RBI double in the fourth. Eastern Illinois capped off scoring in the fifth with a two-out grand slam.
Game 2: Gardner-Webb 1, NKU 0
At the Plate
- The Runnin' Bulldogs tallied three hits, while NKU had one.
- Frazier had the lone hit for the Norse, extending her hitting streak to six games.
In the Circle
- Ashlyn Zuberer made her first career start and pitched the complete game. The freshman fanned two batters and did not issue any walks.
Scoring Summary
- Frazier led off the contest with a single, and was advanced to third thanks to a sac bunt from Lawson but was unable to move any further.
- Gardner-Webb plated its lone run of the game in the second inning with a solo home run. Following the round-tripper, the Runnin' Bulldogs immediately clubbed a single, but Zuberer did not allow another Gardner-Webb player to reach base for the remainder of the game.
Up Next
- The Norse are back on the field tomorrow at 10 a.m. when they face Mount Saint Mary's. NKU then faces Gardner-Webb once more, with first pitch set for 2 p.m.
#NorseUp
