----Jenny Weis

By Chad Hensley, NKU Sports Information

FLORENCE, Ala. - Coming off a two-game sweep against Arkansas Tech yesterday evening, the Northern Kentucky University softball team wasn't treated as kindly by the host school in the University of North Alabama Spring Tournament.

Coach Jeremy Reece's UNA Lady Lions from the Gulf South Conference upped their record to 4-0 courtesy of a sweep of NKU by scores of 5-1 and 5-4.

Game one saw UNA string together 10 hits to plate five runs for pitcher Stephanie Glienke, who was nearly perfect through the first five innings.

The only Norse batter to reach base in the first four innings was sophomore catcher, Jenny Weis. The Ryle High School graduate also collected the first NKU hit of the game in the fifth inning.

Glienke (1-1) pitched five strong innings before giving way to Megan Niesel. The lone NKU run was charged to Niesel in the seventh inning.

Sophomore Amanda Smith (1-2) started in the circle for the Norse but was chased after the fourth inning. Following three UNA hits, a sacrifice bunt, a timely stolen base and a Norse error in the fourth, the Lady Lions were able to extend the lead to 4-0.

Coach Kathy Stewart then brought in freshman right-hander Karen Simmons to pitch the final three innings. The Loveland, Ohio, native allowed just one run on three hits in only her second career appearance as a Norse.

The lone Norse run came in the bottom of seventh after Weis led off the inning with her second single of the game. Amber Gregory, a freshman outfielder from Batavia, Ohio, proceeded to launch an RBI double to left-center that brought Weis all the way around from first.

Later in the inning, NKU put together what looked like a comeback. The rally was thwarted by two NKU fly outs to end the game. UNA won by a final score of 5-1.

The Norse bats finally came alive during the third inning of game two. Freshman shortstop Rose Broderick, an Oak Hills High School graduate, collected her first two career runs batted in as a Norse when she belted a Sabrina Roberts pitch to right-center field, bringing in Gregory and Krista Smith. Broderick advanced to third on the play and was brought home on a Cara Parker bunt single.

NKU's only senior, Becky Napier, brought Parker in from second after she collected her third stolen base. The Norse bats then went virtually silent the rest of the way.

Roberts (2-0), who set the UNA school record for wins in a season last year with 16, allowed just four base runners the remainder of the game.

Amanda Smith, who was brought on to replace Simmons in the sixth, faced four batters in the bottom of the seventh and couldn't find a way to tame the Lady Lions.

With the bases loaded, Maggie Eads punched a single through the right side of the drawn in infield to plate Sarah Whitlow for the decisive run.

NKU ended the UNA Spring Tournament with a 2-2 record.

The Norse will next be in action when they travel to play in the Alabama-Huntsville Charger Chillout in Decatur, Ala., on Feb. 23-25, when they will open the tournament against North Alabama. NKU then travels to Orlando, Fla., for the Rebel Spring Games during spring break (March 3-9) to play 12 games against NCAA Division II competition from around the country.