COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Northern Kentucky softball program got its 2023 campaign off with a bang as the Norse recorded a NKU NCAA DI record with 10 runs in its opening contest of the season in a 10-4 victory over Texas A&M-Commerce at Davis Diamond on Friday.
 
NKU followed it up with a battle against the Aggies in its nightcap of the opening day of the Texas A&M Invitational. The Norse fought hard against the Power 5 foe and kept it to a 1-1 tie game in the top of the third, but in the end Texas A&M was able to take advantage of some NKU mistakes to seal a 6-1 win.
 
 
THE BASICS (GAME ONE)
FINAL SCORE: Northern Kentucky – 10, Texas A&M-Commerce – 4 (seven innings)
LOCATION: Davis Diamond – College Station, Texas
RECORDS: NKU 1-0 (0-0 HL), A&M-CC 0-2 (0-0 SLC)
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- The 10 runs scored in the opening day victory were the most posted by NKU in its opening game of the season since 2016. The performance also tied a NKU NCAA DI Era record for most runs scored in a season-opening game.
- Madisyn Eads went the distance in the circle with a seven-inning performance that yielded just four earned runs and eight hits overall to go with five strikeouts. Eads is one of just three pitchers in the Horizon League that has posted a complete game so far this season. She also tops the conference in strikeouts.
- Sydni Barnes paced the Norse attack with a 2-for-4 game that included a game-best four RBI. It was the most RBI posted by Barnes in a game so far during her collegiate career.
- Ella LeMonier (2-for-4, two runs, one RBI) and Olivia Pastin (2-for-4, one run, one RBI) each posted two hits in the contest, respectively.
- Also totaling RBI for NKU was Megan Lenhart (1-for-4, one run, one RBI) and Maddie Lacer (1-for-3, one run, one RBI).
- Jena Rhoads finished with a game-best three runs scored, a standout performance for the freshman in her first contest in a NKU uniform.
- Eight different Norse student-athletes posted at least one hit in the contest.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- NKU found itself in a quick 2-0 hole as A&M Commerce picked up two runs in the bottom of the first.
- The Norse were able to half the lead in the top of the third off Pastin's single up the middle that scored Rhoads to make it 2-1.
- The Lions responded right back with a solo shot in the bottom of the third to make it 3-1.
- It was all NKU over the next three innings as the Norse scored six runs in the top of the fourth and another three runs in the top of the sixth as NKU flipped the script to jump ahead 10-3.
- The Lions were able to push one run across in the bottom of the seventh, but it was too little, too late as the Norse closed out the blowout victory.
 
 
THE BASICS (GAME TWO)
FINAL SCORE: Northern Kentucky – 1, Texas A&M – 6 (seven innings)
LOCATION: Davis Diamond – College Station, Texas
RECORDS: NKU 1-1 (0-0 HL), Texas A&M 2-0 (0-0 SEC)
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Ella LeMonier paced the NKU offense with a 1-for-3 game that produced the lone Norse RBI in the contest.
- Megan Lenhart (1-for-3) and Trinity Robertson (1-for-2, BB) also added hits for Northern Kentucky. NKU was able to register just three base knocks in total during the non-conference contest.
- Coming in as a pinch runner, Victoria Flores notched the only NKU run of the ball game.
- Lauryn Hicks pitched well in relief as she posted just a single earned run over three innings of work to go with two punchouts.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Aggies got on the board first with a sac fly in the bottom of the second to take a 1-0 lead.
- NKU answered right back in the top half of the third off LeMonier's single down the left field line that plated Flores to tie things up at 1-1.
- It was all Texas A&M from that point on as the Aggies responded right back with four runs in the bottom of the third and another in the fourth to close out the 6-1 victory.
 
 
NEXT UP
NKU will be right back in action for Day No. 2 of the 2023 Texas A&M Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 11. The Norse will take on Power Five foe Michigan State at 11 AM ET and follow it up with a clash against Tarleton State at 1:30 PM. Fans and supporters can follow along with all of the action from the tournament in real-time here.
 
 
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