HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Senior Madi Mulder provided Northern Kentucky with a 2-1 extra-inning, walk-off win in the opening game of Saturday's doubleheader against Youngstown State before the Penguins responded with a seventh-inning, 4-2 comeback win in the backend. Northern Kentucky concludes the regular-season 14-24 overall and 13-17 against Horizon League opposition, while Youngstown State closes at 35-13 with a 28-8 mark versus league foes.
   
At the Plate 

• Ava Lawson delivered a pair of doubles in a 2-for-3 performance, driving in one run and scoring the game-winner.
• In a 1-for-3 effort, Mulder delivered the game-winning single in the eighth.
• Megan Lenhart provided the Norse with their third double of the game.
• Ella LeMonier singled and scored once.
• Hailey Whitmer also singled.

 
In the Circle 

• Madisyn Eads earned the start for NKU, working the full 8.0 innings. She allowed only one unearned run with three strikeouts and no walks in a three-hit effort. Eads improves to 6-3 on the year.
• Eads has now won her last five starts, allowing just five earned runs with a combined 22 K's.
• Sophie Howell got the call for YSU and also went the full distance in the losing effort, falling to 4-4. Howell surrendered both runs on six hits and three walks. She fanned six Norse in the 7.2 innings worked.

 
Scoring Summary 

• Alex DeLeon hit a two-out double for the Penguins in the first and scored when the Norse misplayed a towering pop-up.
• With one out in the fourth, Lawson was hit by a pitch and Mulder drew a walk, but Jordan Jenkins grounded into a double play to end the threat.
• Lenhart broke up Howell's no-hit bid in the fifth courtesy of her double to left center.
• NKU entered the scoring column in the sixth, tying the game at one. LeMonier opened the frame with a single and was sacrificed into scoring position by McKeough. Lawson then ripped the first pitch she saw into the right-center gap for an RBI double.
• Jillian Jakse and Nikki Saibene both singled in the seventh to help Youngstown State threaten. Eads responded by inducing a pair of foul outs to end the scare.
• Whitmer led off Northern Kentucky's half of the inning with a line-drive single to right center. This time it was Howell's turn to respond and she retired the next two Norse to snuff the threat.
• Kendyl McKeough drew a one-out walk in the seventh and Natalia Lozada entered to pinch run. Lawson belted a double to left center, but Lozada was gunned down at the plate. Heads up baserunning by Lawson gave the Norse a runner at third with two outs, which proved pivotal. Mulder then legged out an infield single to short, allowing Lawson to score the game-winning run.
   

 
At the Plate 

• Lawson doubled for the third time on the day in a 1-for-2 showing. She had both Norse RBIs.
• Josie Frazier, LeMonier and Whitmer all delivered singles in the contest.

 
In the Circle 

• Faith Howard (2-6) got the call on senior day. She surrendered four runs on eight hits and three walks, while fanning four Penguins in 6.1 innings.
• Caitlyn Karo threw the final two-thirds of an inning, giving up just one hit.
• Penguins' ace Elle Buffenbarger (19-3) took the circle and took a perfect game into the fifth inning, when she issued a pair of walks. She tossed the first 6.0 innings and allowed two runs on three hits. Buffenbarger also posted seven strikeouts.
• Maddie Lusk worked the seventh for YSU, earning her third save of the season.

 
Scoring Summary 

• YSU's offense put the pressure on Howard in the first, but NKU's hurler was up to the task. Lusk and Alex DeLeon singled and walked, respectively, with one out before Howard induced a fly out and ground out to end the frame.
• Jakse provided an RBI single for the Penguins in the fifth, breaking the scoreless deadlock.
• Lawson drew a lead-off walk and Whitmer got the free pass with one out to give NKU a pair of baserunners in its half of the fifth, but Buffenbarger closed the door.
• Frazier ended Buffenbarger's no-hit bid with a bunt single in the sixth, giving Northern Kentucky a runner with one out. LeMonier followed with a base knock of her own, setting up Lawson. Lawson smashed the first pitch she saw off the top of the left-center wall for a 2-RBI double and a 2-1 Norse lead.
• YSU answered with three runs in the seventh, all coming off the bat of Jakse after she drilled a 3-run shot to left field.
• In the bottom of the frame, Whitmer led off with a single and Lenhart drew a one-out walk. However, Lusk shut the door on the threat.

  
Senior Send-Off
Prior to game one on Saturday, Northern Kentucky recognized seniors Frazier, Howard, Karo, Lawson, Mulder and Whitmer for their careers as Norse. NKU would like to thank them for their contributions to the program.