KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Northern Kentucky University Norse softball opened play in the Knoxville Regional of the 2026 NCAA Tournament on Friday, taking on the hosts, #7 Tennessee. The Norse showed a lot of fight, allowing just one run through five innings and tying the game in the sixth, but a late solo homer and an insurance RBI double from the Lady Vols saw them just get enough to push past Northern Kentucky.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Northern Kentucky – 1, #7 Tennessee 3
LOCATION: Sherri Parker Lee Stadium – Knoxville, Tenn.
RECORDS: NKU: 26-24 | UT: 43-10
GAME SUMMARY
– After Norse starter
Alicia Flores stranded one in the first, Tennessee took the lead in the second inning on a solo home run from Emma Clarke. Flores then escaped danger in the inning, stranding three runners in the second to keep the Volunteers at just one run. Flores then stranded two runners in the third, one in the fourth, and one in the fifth as she was able to deter the Tennessee offense from crossing home plate. In the top of the sixth, the Norse benefited from an early error, and a pair of sacrifice bunts put
Victoria Flores on third.
Kenzie Gulley hit a hard grounder to third that was bobbled, and Flores scored to tie the game at one apiece. Unfortunately for the Norse, that tied score lasted for just five pitches as the Vols hit a lead-off homer in the sixth, and added a two-out RBI double later in the frame to take a 3-1 lead. The Norse offense again went down in order in the seventh as NKU's upset efforts were cut short.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– Despite allowing 12 baserunners, Northern Kentucky starting pitcher
Alicia Flores was able to strand nine of them, coming up in big moments. She threw 6.0 innings, allowing three earned runs, eight hits, and three walks, while striking out one batter.
– The Norse offense was stifled by the nation's ERA leaders, as the Lady Vols entered the game with a 1.33 earned run average. Northern Kentucky mustered just one hit against Erin Nuwer, who entered the contest ranked fourth nationally with a 1.09 ERA of her own.
Lexy Morris was the lone Norse to get a hit, finishing 1-3 with a single, while
Kenzie Gulley drew a walk and
Victoria Flores scored the only run of the game for the Norse.
NEXT UP
Northern Kentucky will take on the loser of Virginia and Indiana on Saturday at 5:30 PM in an elimination game.
FOLLOW NKU NORSE SOFTBALL
Get in the game and follow Northern Kentucky's NCAA Division I softball team through @NKUNorseSB on Twitter, @nkusoftball on Instagram, nkunorsesballon Facebook and subscribe to the NKU Norse YouTube channel.
