CHICAGO – Northern Kentucky (7-19 Overall, 6-12 Horizon League) dropped a pair of matches against UIC (14-12 Overall, 11-5 Horizon League) Saturday afternoon. The losses drop NKU to 0-4 on the weekend. 
  At the Plate 

• The Norse totaled nine hits on 28 at bats, and had five runners left on base. 
• Ella LeMonier (1-of-4), Maddie Lacer (1-of-3), and Megan Lenhart (1-of-3) had a hit apiece. 
• Ava Lawson (2-of-4), Jordan Jenkins (2-of-3), and Kendyl McKeough (2-of-3) provided the Norse with multiple hits. 
• McKeough's second hit, a home run, was the only hit of the extra-base variety and marked her second grand slam of the year. She also finished with four of the six RBI's NKU racked up. 

In the Circle 

• Madisyn Eads earned her third start in the Horizon League, and fifth overall. 
• Eads tossed 4.0 innings, fanning one batter along the way. She also gave up five runs but did not factor in the decision. 
• Faith Howard came on for relief with no outs in the fifth inning. 
• Howard saw only one inning of action and gave up three hits. She was credited with the loss and slides to 0-3. 
• Caitlin Karo came on for Howard in the sixth after the Flames tied the game at 6-6. 
• Karo also pitched just one inning, and gave up a lone inherited run. 

Scoring Summary 

• The Norse started strong as they took the lead in their half of the first, thanks to Jenkins who singled to center field, allowing Lawson to reach home. 
• The Flames answered right back, hitting a homerun on just their second batter of the day. 
• UIC had a runner in scoring position in the top of the second after a double to left center. A groundout to second allowed the runner to move to third, and ultimately reach home courtesy of a fielder's choice. 
• With two outs and the bases loaded in the third, McKeough crushed a homer to center to reclaim the lead. This is McKeough's fourth homerun, and her second grand slam of the season. LeMonier, Jenkins and Lacer were on base.
• The Norse lead was extended after an RBI-single by Lawson allowed Lenhart to score an inning later. 
• The Flames began to inch closer in their side of the fifth, scoring three runs to make it 6-5. The first run was by way of a RBI-single to right center, while the remaining two were scored on a 2-run homer down the left field line. 
• In the bottom of the sixth, UIC utilized a single to second base to tie the game at 6-6. Three batters later, the Flames regained the lead for the first time since the second inning. 

   At the Plate 

• Lawson (1-of-4) registered a lone hit and scored one run. 
• Lenhart (2-of-2) and Mulder (2-of-3) both ended with a pair of hits. Mulder also was able to score a run for the Norse. 
• McKeough had the most hits for the Norse with a 3-for-3 showing. She had two RBI, and a homerun. Her long ball was her second of the series and her second-straight game with a homer. 

In the Circle 

• Lauryn Hicks got the call to the mound to start the final matchup of the series against UIC. 
• Hicks (5-9) tossed 4.0 innings and gave up four runs on five hits.
• Karo came on for Hicks with no outs in the fifth. She pitched 0.2 innings and gave up four runs before being subbed for Howard. 
• Howard only saw 0.1 innings of action, retiring the lone batter she faced, before Sydni Barnes came on. 
• Barnes saw a full inning of action, gave up no runs and fanned one batter. 

Scoring Summary 

• UIC was first on the board after scoring on a RBI-groundout to second base in the opening frame. 
• With two outs in the second inning, McKeough answered with her second homerun of the day to center field. 
• In the third inning, Mulder singled to center field, moving LeMonier to second and scoring Lawson to give the Norse a 2-1 advantage.
• The bottom of the fourth saw a slew of runners reach base for the Flames, but the Norse defense held strong and gave up only one run by way of a walked batter. 
• UIC put up six runs in the fifth. Two came from a homer to right center, another pair came from a triple to center field, the fifth came on a single to right field, and the final run was scored after a wild pitch from Karo. 
• In the sixth inning with one out and a pair of runners on first and third, McKeough knocked an RBI-single to center field. 

Up Next 
Northern Kentucky returns home to Highland Heights to host Robert Morris in a midweek doubleheader. The pair of games will take place on Tuesday, April 6, with first pitch slated for noon. Both games can be seen on ESPN+.