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By Mike Anderson, NKU Sports Information Game 1 box score | Game 2 box score HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Big innings doomed the Northern Kentucky University softball team in a key regional matchup against Ashland on Thursday. The Norse dropped both ends of the doubleheader, 6-2 in Game 1 and 5-4 in Game 2. The teams battled back and forth in what was a pitchers' duel during the early stages of Game 1, going scoreless through the first four innings until Shannon Gray poked a double down the left field line to score two in the top of the fifth inning. The Norse answered in the bottom half of the frame with RBI hits from Jessica Farris and Amanda Smith to keep the score even at 2-2. Ashland blew the doors off the game in the top of the seventh inning, when a pair of walks and a pair of home runs sent NKU pitcher April Ehlers to the showers. A leadoff walk to Smith gave the Norse life in the bottom of the inning, but a fly out to left field followed by a pair of ground outs ended any threat and the game. Ehlers (7-8) allowed six runs on seven hits in the loss, striking out nine and walking seven. Smith got two of NKU's four hits on the game. The NKU offense got things started positively in Game 2, scoring runs in each of the first two innings. Cara Parker's RBI-ground out scored Farris, who had doubled earlier in the first inning. Sam Del Vecchio opened the second inning with a double of her own, and Chelsie Roy would finish the trip around the bases for her, scoring when Stephanie West reached safely after a muffed throw by the Ashland first baseman. Back-to-back RBIs by Carrie Hosier and Alyssa Kelley in the third inning brought the Eagles back level before Hosier successfully stole home plate to give Ashland the lead. The Eagles got two more runs in the fourth inning to push to a 5-2 lead. As the sun began to set, the Norse started to claw their way back into the game, scoring two runs on a Del Vecchio single to bring the deficit to one. However, darkness fell before the game could be completed, and NKU's comeback bid was stopped short after the sixth inning. Roy (6-5) was saddled with the loss, surrendering five runs on 10 hits and striking out one. Smith claimed a 3-for-3 game while Del Vecchio and Shatona Campbell each went 2-for-3 on the contest. The losses dropped NKU back to 13-13 overall in preparation for Great Lakes Valley Conference action this weekend. The Norse will travel to face Indianapolis on Saturday with first pitch coming at noon. |
