WILMINGTON, N.C. – The Northern Kentucky softball program had a big opening day to the season at the UNCW Home Weekend tournament as the Norse's seventh-inning comeback attempt fell just short in the opener, before NKU followed it up with a 8-0 win against Queens at the Stick Williams Dream Fields on Friday.
 
 
GAME ONE – THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Northern Kentucky – 1, Queens – 2 (7 innings)
LOCATION: The Stick Williams Dream Fields – Wilmington, North Carolina
RECORDS: NKU 0-1 (0-0 HL), Queens 1-0 (0-0 ASUN)
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Trinity Robertson led the Norse offense with a 2-for-3 opening game that included a solo homerun, a run and a RBI. It was the fourth homerun of her career.
- Ella LeMonier, Olivia Pastin and Brielle DiMemmo both went 1-for-3 at the dish. LeMonier also added a walk.
- Sydni Barnes chipped in a hit for NKU with a 1-for-4 performance.
- Lauryn Hicks threw a complete-game in the circle that included nine strikeouts and just one walk.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Queens jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the third.
- The Royals added another run in the top of the fifth to move ahead 2-0.
- NKU tried to complete the comeback in the bottom of the seventh.
- Robinson led off the final frame with a solo shot to center field to make it a 2-1 game.
- DiMemmo followed her up with a double to center to put the tying run on second with no outs.
- Queens made a pitching change at this point, and the Royals were able to record the final three outs to escape with the victory.
 
 
GAME TWO – THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Northern Kentucky – 8, Queens – 0 (7 innings)
LOCATION: The Stick Williams Dream Fields – Wilmington, North Carolina
RECORDS: NKU 1-1 (0-0 HL), Queens 1-1 (0-0 ASUN)
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Ella LeMonier paced the Norse with a 2-for-4 outing at the plate. She finished with two RBI and a run scored.
- Brielle DiMemmo also had a huge game with two RBI and a run scored. She went 1-for-2 overall in the second game of the day.
- Megan Lenhart chipped in two more RBI for the Norse.
- Olivia Pastin (1-for-4) and Kayla Shymkewich (1-for-1) added a RBI apiece, respectively.
- Tatum Biddle finished with a run scored off two walks and Maddie Lacer went 1-for-2 with two runs and a base on balls.
- Sydni Barnes (1-for-2) and Victoria Flores also scored for NKU.
- Alicia Flores picked up the victory with four scoreless innings of work that included six strikeouts.
- Madisyn Eads finished out the game and went three scoreless with four punch outs to notch her first save of the season.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- It was all NKU in this one as the Norse got on the board first in the top of the second as Lenhart drove home Lacer to make it a 1-0 contest.
- Northern Kentucky broke through again with four runs in the top of the fourth to push its advantage to 5-0. Lenhart (one RBI), DiMemmo (two RBI) and LeMonier (one RBI) all drove in runs in the inning.
- The Norse sealed the victory with three more runs in the top of the seventh to close out the 8-0 victory. LeMonier, Pastin and Shymkewich each drove in a run in the final frame.
 
 
NEXT UP 
NKU will get right back to it with two more games on Saturday, February 10. The Norse get the day started against North Dakota State at 2:30 PM ET and stay on the field for a showdown with Furman at 5 PM.
 
 
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