LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Ricki Rothbauer’s two-run triple in the top of the seventh inning snapped a scoreless tie Monday as the Northern Kentucky University softball team defeated Bellarmine University, 3-0, to complete a doubleheader sweep.
Rothbauer’s two-out triple drove in both Sara Becker and Rachele Vogelpohl to give NKU a 2-0 lead. Rothbauer later scored on a passed ball to give the Norse a 3-0 advantage, and NKU starter Emily Breitholle retired Bellarmine in order in the bottom of the seventh to pick up her 13th victory of the season.
NKU improved to 45-3 overall, 17-1 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Norse are ranked No. 5 nationally in the latest NCAA Division II poll.
In the opener, NKU scored four times in the top of the 14th inning to post a 4-0 win over Bellarmine. Jennifer Schamp gave NKU a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the 14th, and Heather Cotner followed with a run-scoring hit to extend the Norse’s advantage to 2-0.
Sara Becker then sealed the victory for the Norse with a two-run single that made it 4-0. Becker went 2-for-7 with two RBI, while Cotner was 3-for-7. Stephanie Leimbach added four hits for NKU.
NKU pitcher Krystal Lewallen went all 14 innings and picked up a career-high 21 strikeouts. She also limited Bellarmine to just two hits and did not allow a walk.
Lewallen, a sophomore from Crestwood, Ky., upped her record to 25-2 this spring. She also registered her 14th shutout of the season and now has 41 career victories.
NKU is ranked No. 1 in the latest NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region poll. If the Norse maintain that ranking, they will play host to the Great Lakes Region Tournament May 6-9.
NKU will play at the University of Indianapolis at 3 p.m. Wednesday. The Norse are in sole possession of first place in the GLVC, one game ahead of second-place Lewis University.
NKU needs just one win against Indianapolis to secure the No. 1 seed in this weekend’s GLVC Tournament at East Peoria, Ill. The Norse will open play in that event this Friday against either Quincy University or Indianapolis.
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Ricki Rothbauer |