NKU’s Candace White

EAST PEORIA, Ill. - Northern Kentucky University freshmen pitchers Amanda Smith and Candace White combined on a clutch performance against No. 24 Southern Indiana in an elimination game at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament on Saturday.

Smith started and allowed just two runs to the hard-hitting Screaming Eagles, while White earned her first career save in a 3-2 NKU victory. The Norse improved to 38-18 and will meet Lewis in the loser’s bracket final at 5 p.m. (CDT).

NKU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning as Sarah King and Smith each had run-scoring singles. Southern Indiana made it 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth on Krista Nugent’s RBI single.

NKU extended its lead to 3-1 in the sixth inning when Katybeth Coode scored from second base on an attempted sacrifice bunt by Kara Lorenz that Southern Indiana first baseman Jennifer Mullikin overran and turned into an RBI single.

Nikki Nichols cut the NKU lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single off Smith to center field. At that point, Norse head coach Kathy Stewart brought in White from the bullpen with runners on first and second and Nugent at the plate.

Nugent struck out looking to end the threat. In the bottom of the seventh, White allowed a one-out single to Kathy Wood, but she retired the next two batters to notch the save. Lorenz made a running catch of Audra Lindenschmidt’s blooper to center for the final out.

Smith improved to 22-10 this season, and she added three hits at the plate. The 22 wins are the most ever by an NKU freshman pitcher.

King and Rachele Vogelpohl each had two hits for NKU, which stranded nine base runners. Southern Indiana (37-16) left eight runners on base.

NKU is ranked No. 6 in the latest NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region poll. The winner of the GLVC Tournament receives an automatic berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament.

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