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By Mike Anderson, NKU Sports Information HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University softball team split a doubleheader against Wisconsin-Parkside on Sunday, winning a 1-0 pitchers' duel before falling 10-3 in the nightcap. Becky Napier's suicide squeeze plated Shatona Campbell in the bottom of the sixth inning of the opener and was the only scoring Amanda Smith (8-6) needed to pick up the win. Smith scattered 10 hits and struck out two over her seven innings of work. In the second
game, an eight-run fourth inning keyed Wisconsin-Parkside's 10-3
win. NKU pitcher Candace White gave up four singles on her first
six pitches in the fourth as UWP sent 11 to the plate. Racine added her second home run of the season in the second, while Allison Wodziak hit her third round trip in the seventh. Jessica Bryant (3-1) got the win for the Rangers, striking out three and allowing two earned runs on seven hits. White (8-5) took the loss for the Norse, surrendering seven runs on six hits in 3 1/3 innings. Karen Simmons
gave up six hits and three runs in relief. Sydney Doyle had a standout
day at the plate for the Norse, going 4-for-5 with an RBI double
in the doubleheader. NKU is 17-11 overall, 4-4 in conference play.
On Saturday, NKU dropped a pair games to Lewis by scores of 5-3 and 5-4. After giving up a first-inning RBI double to Kristy Vanek, the Norse answered with two in the bottom of the first on Smith's suicide squeeze that plated Rose Broderick. Cara Parker scored on an error later in the inning. Lewis answered with two runs in the top of the second on the strength of a Lisa Gartland two-run double down the left-field line to retake the one-run lead. Doyle answered for NKU with a two-run double to drive in both Amber Gregory and Napier. That proved to be the end of the day for Jenna Howard on the mound. Howard gave way to Courtney Lyons, who shut down the Norse, giving up only a walk as she retired 17 of the 18 batters she faced. Lewis drew even once again in the third on a Kelly Dianis RBI single, and took the lead for good in the top of the seventh with Carla Musillo's run-scoring single to make the 5-4 final score. Lyons's (4-2) near-perfect relief performance earned her the win, while Smith (7-6) took the loss in the complete-game effort, picking up four strikeouts along the way. Lewis got things started early once again when Vanek was able to bring Gartland in on an RBI single in the top of the first inning. A Mallory Paine solo homer and a two-run double by Dianis opened up a 4-0 advantage in the third inning. Parker's RBI double down the left field line got the Norse on the board in the bottom of the sixth, and Smith's two-run homer later in the inning closed the gap to one. It wasn't enough, however, as Dianis' RBI double in the top of the seventh gave the Flyers the insurance they needed to go on to a 5-3 victory. The Norse play host to Ashland in a doubleheader Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. |
