CARBONDALE, Ill. – Northern Kentucky softball dropped its opening match at the Saluki Invitational, 7-3, against Southern Illinois, which is receiving votes in the latest USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll. The Norse fall to 0-5 on the season and the Salukis improve to 10-0.
At the Plate 

• Eight different Norse picked up a hit during the game. 
• Megan Lenhart, Madi Mulder and Maddie Lacer all had doubles, while Ava Lawson hit her second homerun of the season and 18th of her Norse career. 
• Kendyl McKeough and Lawson were the only two to have an RBI, coming from a single and homerun, respectively. 

In the Circle 

• Lauryn Hicks started on the mound, giving her a third start of the season. She pitched 6.0 innings and allowed five runs on eight hits and five walks. 
• Sydni Barnes came in for Hicks in the sixth inning and faced two batters, walking both. Barnes was charged with two runs. 

Scoring Summary 

• Lawson opened the scoring with a homer in the first inning. 
• Lenhart doubled to open the second and reached home thanks to a single from McKeough. 
• In their side of the third, the Salukis earned a single run off an RBI single to right field. 
• Southern Illinois took the lead in the fifth inning after two RBI's. One coming from a runner tagging up on a foul out, and the other from a single through the left side. 
• In the bottom of the sixth, the Salukis added another four runs off a two-RBI double to right field, an RBI single and a wild pitch.
• Lacer began the seventh with a double before advancing to third on a wild pitch. She then scored when LeMonier reached base on an error. 

Next Up 
Northern Kentucky will go up against Creighton and Saint Louis on Saturday, March 6. First  pitch is set at 11 a.m. (ET) and 3:30 p.m. (ET), respectively.