HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Behind a complete game shutout in the circle by
Lauryn Hicks, the Northern Kentucky softball program collected its fourth straight Horizon League win in a 2-0 victory over Purdue Fort Wayne in a conference contest on Friday afternoon.
The four-game conference winning streak keeps Northern Kentucky towards the top of the Horizon standings and is its best stretch since NKU won four straight conference games from May 6 through May 12 of last season.
THE BASICS
FINAL: Northern Kentucky – 2, Purdue Fort Wayne – 0 (7 innings)
LOCATION: Frank Ignatius Grein Softball Field – Highland Heights, Kentucky
RECORDS: NKU 11-11 (4-2 HL), PFW 5-21 (0-4 HL)
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Hicks threw arguably her best game so far this year as the standout hurler went all seven innings with a season-best 10 strikeouts. She allowed just a single hit and no earned runs for her second shutout of the season. The 10 punch outs were tied for the fourth most record by a Horizon League pitcher so far this season.
-
Maddie Lacer and
Olivia Pastin led the offense for the Norse. Lacer went 1-for-3 with a RBI while Pastin chipped in a 1-for-2 performance that included another RBI.
-
Ella LeMonier hit a perfect 2-for-2 at the top of the order with a run scored and a walk. She is now up to third in the Horizon in both batting average (.413) and on-base percentage (.457) to go with being fourth in hits (31) and seventh in runs scored (14).
-
Lexy Morris also came around to score for the Norse.
-
Mack Brow picked up NKU's other hit in the game off a 1-for-2 effort.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The two sides played three scoreless innings before Northern Kentucky broke through in the bottom of the fourth.
- Pastin drove a shot out to center that allowed LeMonier to come around to score as the Norse took a 1-0 lead in the frame.
- NKU got another insurance score in the bottom of the sixth as it was Lacer's turn to knock a RBI single to center field to plate Morris to give the Norse a 2-0 edge.
- It was all Hicks would need as she closed things out with a near perfect seventh to give NKU the 2-0 victory.
- In fact, Hicks and the strong Northern Kentucky defense only allowed one runner to even reach second base.
NEXT UP
The Norse and Mastodons will get right back to it with a doubleheader set for Saturday, March 30 at Frank Ignatius Grein Softball Field. The twin bill will get underway at 1 PM ET and admission to the contest is free of charge.
FOLLOW NKU NORSE SOFTBALL
Get in the game and follow Northern Kentucky's NCAA Division I softball team through
@NKUNorseSB on Twitter,
@nkunorsesb on Instagram,
nkunorsesball on Facebook and
subscribe to the NKU Norse Youtube channel.
