HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky split with Marshall in a Tuesday doubleheader at Frank Ignatius Grein Softball field, falling to the Thundering Herd 3-2 before capping the nonconference series with a 5-4 victory.
 
The win was NKU's first over the Herd in program annals.
 
The Norse (16-23, 5-10 Horizon League) resume league play at 3 p.m. Friday when they play the first of three games at Youngstown State.
 
Game One: MARSHALL 3, NKU 2
At the Plate

• Kendyl McKeough and Sophie Margelot each had a hit and an RBI.
• Jenna O'Hair went 1-for-2 with a run scored.
• Ella LeMonier went 1-for-3 with a run scored.
• Tatum Biddle went 1-for-2 with a walk.

In the Circle

• Madisyn Eads (8-10) pitched a complete game, allowing eight hits and three runs. She struck out two and walked two. She pitched six scoreless innings, as the Herd amassed all three of their runs in the top of the second.

At a Glance

• Jenna O'Hair singled on a bunt to start things off for the Norse. Kendyl McKeough drove a hit to right field and advanced to second on an error as O'Hair scored an unearned run for the 1-0 first-inning lead.
• The Thundering Herd did significant damage with four hits and three runs in the top of the second. Katie Adams and Grace Chelemen accounted for two of Marshall's five doubles in the half-inning. The team vaulted ahead 3-1.
• Sophie Margelot closed the gap with an RBI single in the bottom of the second. She plated Ella LeMonier, who'd singled and advanced to second on Olivia Pastin's sac bunt.
• The rest of the game proved to be a battle of defenses, as neither team scored again. Marshall's Sydney Nester (18-5) got the win, fanning five and walking two.

 
Game Two: NKU 5, MARSHALL 4
At the Plate

• NKU piled on 12 hits throughout, led by Sydni Barnes, who went 3-for-4 with three hits (including a double), two runs scored and an RBI. Barnes scored the game-winner in the bottom of the sixth.
• Kendyl McKeough hit her 10^th home run this season, expanding a stat that leads the Horizon League. She went 1-for-4 with an RBI and run scored.
• Jordan Jenkins went 2-for-4.
• Olivia Pastin was 2-for-3 with a double, RBI and run scored.

In the Circle

• Madisyn Eads (9-10) picked up the win while Lauryn Hicks had her second save this season. Hicks started the game and pitched a total of 6.2 innings, although she was replaced in the top of the sixth by Eads, who faced four batters. Hicks re-entered in the top of the seventh and closed out the game. Hicks struck out five and walked two. She allowed four hits and three runs, all earned. Eads surrendered a run and two hits.

At a Glance

• NKU didn't waste time scoring at the start of Game Two. Sydni Barnes' leadoff double to left field set the pace, and she advanced to third on Jenna O'Hair's sac bunt. Jordan Jenkins reached on an error as Barnes scored an unearned run.
• Olivia Pastin started the bottom of the second inning with a double to left center and came home on Barnes' RBI single for the 2-0 Norse lead.
• Kendyl McKeough homered to center field to make it 3-0 in the bottom of the third. The Norse tacked on a fourth run when Olivia Pastin's RBI single scored Jordan Jenkins.
• NKU's outfielders – Olivia Pastin in left, Jenna O'Hair in center and Ella LeMonier in right – made big plays to back up Lauryn Hicks and keep the Herd scoreless through five innings.
• Marshall opened the floodgates in the top of the sixth. The team had four runs on four hits to knot the game at 4-all.
• Sydni Barnes singled in the bottom of the sixth and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. As Jenna O'Hair reached on an error and advanced to second, Barnes crossed home plate for an unearned run and the 5-4 Norse lead – the final margin of victory.
• NKU stole four bases throughout (Jenna O'Hair, Tatum Biddle, Ella LeMonier and Olivia Pastin).

 
Next Up
NKU travels to Youngstown State for a three-game series Friday, April 15 and Saturday, April 16.  The first game is at 3 p.m. Friday, followed by a Saturday doubleheader (noon/2:30 p.m.).