 |
| By Chad Hensley, NKU Sports Information KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Northern Kentucky University softball team went into this weekend’s road trip needing to win three games against Drury and Rockhurst to put themselves into the thick of things for a Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament appearance. After splitting with Drury yesterday, NKU needed to sweep Rockhurst today to give them a chance to make the tournament. There was a sweep in the games today, but it wasn’t what Norse fans wanted to see as the Hawks defeated NKU by scores of 3-2 in Game 1 and 4-3 in Game 2. NKU (18-24, 7-13) will now need to sweep through the rest of the remaining schedule and get a lot of help in order to book a trip to East Peoria, Ill. Game 1 saw NKU trail after the bottom of the second inning when RU (23-14, 8-8) received a two-out single to right field from Stephanie Athcley to score Leslie Furdek. April Ehlers, the Game 1 starting pitcher, helped her own cause in the top of the fourth with a two run blast to left field. It was her second home run of the season and scored Rose Broderick in the process. Broderick had singled to lead off the inning. The lead would not last long as Rockhurst pushed across single runs in the fourth inning to tie the game and the sixth inning for the eventual win. Both runs were scored on RBI singles with two outs. Ehlers (8-13) took the loss going the entire way and giving up three runs on eight hits to go along with three strikeouts and three walks. Emily Dye picked up the win for the Hawks as she hurled a four-hitter. Dye also gave up two runs, one walk, and two strikeouts. Game 2 got off to a rough start for the Norse and starting pitcher Amanda Smith. The Hawks scored four runs and four hits with one walk and an error before Smith could retire a batter in the first inning. Smith (6-7) lasted just one inning before making way for Chelsie Roy. It was then a pitchers’ dual between Roy and RU starter Heather Robertson (13-4) for five innings before Robertson finally blinked. Stephanie West reached base on a Kelli Vanderwell error at shortstop and Broderick singled to center to start off the top of the sixth. Smith then stepped to the plate and drilled her first home run of the season over the left-field fence to draw the RU lead down to 4-3. NKU had another chance to score later in the inning with Ehlers at second and Shatona Campbell at first, but Robertson got Roy to strike out swinging. The Norse will next be in action on Thursday as wrap up the road portion of the schedule by traveling to Louisville, Ky., to take on Bellarmine. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. EDT. NKU will wrap up the home portion of the schedule next weekend as they host Southern Illinois Edwardsville on Saturday and Quincy on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for noon on both days. |