Heather Cotner

WHEELING W. Va. - Heather Cotner’s squeeze bunt in the top of the 12th inning drove in Angie Lindeman with the go-ahead run, and the Northern Kentucky University softball team held on for a 4-3 victory over West Liberty State on Wednesday.

Lindeman led off the 12th inning with a double and moved to third on a ground out. Cotner then laid down a squeeze bunt that drove in Lindeman with the go-ahead run.

Krystal Lewallen pitched a scoreless 12th inning as NKU swept the doubleheader and improved to 28-0. Lewallen, who tossed a one-hit shutout during a 4-0 victory in the opener, logged seven innings of relief in the nightcap and upped her record to 15-0 this season.

Lewallen, who struck out nine batters in the opener, has not allowed an earned run during her last 89 innings on the mound. She also has hurled eight consecutive shutouts as a starter.

In the first game, Lindeman and Stephanie Leimbach each collected two hits as NKU coasted to the 4-0 win. The Norse scored three runs in the third inning and added another run in the sixth.

The Norse, winners of 28 straight, are looking to become just the 13th team in NCAA Division II history to win 30 consecutive games in a season. The longest single-season win streak in NCAA Division II history is 40, set in 1995 by Kennesaw State.

NKU returns home Saturday to face defending GLVC Tournament champion Lewis at noon at the Frank Ignatius Grein Softball Field. The Norse are ranked No. 2 nationally in the Division II poll.

West Florida (37-1) is ranked No. 1 nationally in the poll. NKU, which was ranked No. 1 for one week, owns wins over No. 4 Kennesaw State and No. 5 Shippensburg (Pa.) this season.