KENNESAW, Ga. – Northern Kentucky University Norse softball kept building on an impressive start to the 2025 season on Friday, 

THE BASICS (GAME ONE)
FINAL SCORE: Northern Kentucky – 3, Creighton – 0
LOCATION: Bailey Park - Kennesaw, Ga.
RECORDS: NKU 5-1 (0-0 HL), CREI 3-3 (0-0 BE)
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Brooklyn Ballis pitched a complete game shutout to improve to 3-0 on the season. She allowed seven hits and one walk, facing just 27 batters on the day.
- Olivia Pastin was the offensive headliner for the Norse, going 2-3 with two doubles, including a 2-RBI double in the fifth inning. 
- No other Norse recorded a hit in the game, but six walks helped the Norse get on base. Emma Ginn walked three times, while Jena Rhoads, Mack Brow, and Brooke Keltner each walked once. 

NORSE NOTES
- Ballis was perfect through three innings, not allowing a baserunner the first time she saw each Bluejay batter. NKU walked once in each of the first three innings, but couldn't bring any runners home. 
- Creighton singled twice in the fourth, but Ballis coaxed a double play and a flyout to get out of the inning. The same thing happened in the fifth, but a double play to end the frame saw NKU head to the bottom of the fifth in a scoreless tie.
- The Norse were finally able to strike in the fifth, as a walk, sacrifice bunt, then three straight fielder's choices without an out put the Norse on the scoreboard. Pastin capitalized on the runners in scoring position with a double to center that gave the Norse a 3-0 lead and forced a pitching change. 
- Northern Kentucky's defense and pitching was able to hold on, stranding a pair of runners in both the sixth and seventh innings. NKU improved to 5-1 after the win.  

THE BASICS (GAME TWO)
FINAL SCORE: Northern Kentucky – 3, Kennesaw State – 5
LOCATION: Bailey Park - Kennesaw, Ga.
RECORDS: NKU 5-2 (0-0 HL), KSU 1-5 (0-0 CUSA)
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Alicia Flores started in the circle for the Norse. She pitched 4.1 innings, allowing four runs and five hits.
- Jena Rhoads went 2-4 and scored a pair of runs. Her seventh-inning double looked to start a rally but the Norse fell just short. 
- Emma Ginn (1-3), Stella Wulker (1-3), Brooke Keltner (1-3), and Marlee Loudermilk (1-2) all hit singles.
- NKU struck out eight times and failed to draw a walk. The Norse are 5-0 when walking more than striking out, and move to 0-2 when the opposite occurs.
 
NORSE NOTES
- Kennesaw took an early lead in the bottom of the first, thanks to a two-out RBI double from the Owls.
- NKU's only lead of the game was taken in the top of the third. Rhoads, Pastin, and Ginn loaded the bases, setting up an RBI single from Wulker. A sacrifice fly from Lexy Morris gave the Norse a 2-1 short-lived lead. 
- A solo home run from the Owls in the third tied the game at two. KSU then broke the tie in the fifth, scoring three runs on three hits. 
- Down three in the seventh, Rhoads hit a double to center to give the Norse some life. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, she scored on a sacrifice fly from Campbell Beatty, but it was too little too late for the Norse as they fell 5-3 to the Owls on their home field. 

NEXT UP
NKU Softball continues play in the Kennesaw State Tournament on Saturday with a 10 AM rematch with the Bluejays and a 1 PM game with Morehead State. NKU defeated the Eagles 10-0 in five innings last weekend. 

FOLLOW NKU NORSE SOFTBALL 
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