Back-to-back home runs from Katelyn Roy and Kate Bartolovich capped a four-run third inning for the Northern Kentucky University softball team in a 5-3 victory over Miami (Ohio) to split a nonconference doubleheader on Tuesday.
Bartolovich finished the game going 2-for-4, adding an RBI single in the fourth inning for a key insurance run. Sydney Ferrante and Alina Maher also had two-hit games as the Norse pounded out 10 hits and improved to 6-39 on the season.
The game had an inauspicious start for the Norse, as Ashlynn Roberts struggled through a three-run first inning favoring the RedHawks (30-21). Back-to-back doubles by Kylee McChesney and Eryn McCarver quickly got Miami on the board. Taylor Shuey added an RBI single and Megan Mattera chipped in with a run-scoring double to put the Norse on the back foot.
Miami starter Kelsey Fredericks stumbled out of the gates a bit as well, giving up a pair of walks in the first inning and a Maher single in the second before the Norse broke through in the third. Dani Devlin picked up a one-out walk and Ferrante followed with a sharp grounder to shortstop, beating out the play for an infield single to set up Roy’s three-run bomb, her sixth of the season, down the left-field line to tie the game.
The home run prompted a pitching change for the RedHawks, but Bartolovich was unfazed, drilling an 0-2 pitch over the wall in left field to give the Norse the lead. Roberts and Maher followed with back-to-back singles, but Emma Coons lined out to second base to end the rally.
Devlin started another rally for the Norse in the fourth with an opposite-field single. Ferrante shot the first pitch she saw back up the box before a fielder’s choice put runners at the corners for Bartolovich, who delivered the insurance run with a drive up the middle.
Roberts bore down and pitched out of some big jams in the game as well. A dropped fly ball in the fifth inning allowed Miami to load the bases in the top of the fifth, but a smart defensive play by Ferrante, getting a quick out a third base, ended the inning and the scoring threat.
In the sixth, Roberts had the misplay, airmailing a throw after covering a Tanya Busby bunt to allow the speedy RedHawk right fielder to reach third base with one out. Roberts got out of the inning, inducing a pop up from McChesney before spearing a line drive from McCarver to head back to the dugout.
Back-to-back singles in the top of the seventh set the table for the RedHawks, who used a sacrifice bunt to get the tying run in scoring position before Roberts won an eight-pitch battle with Mattera, getting the strikeout, and Allie Conner made a game-winning catch in centerfield on a fly ball in the gap in right-centerfield.
Shanyn McIntyre went 3-for-4 for the RedHawks, who claimed 11 hits and stranded 11 runners. Shuey and Matter each had two-hit games as well. Remy Edwards (4-5) took the loss, giving up three hits, including the Bartolovich homer, in two-thirds of an inning of relief. Fredericks surrendered three runs on three hits and walked three in 2.1 innings in the start.
Roberts improved to 4-14 on the season, scattering 11 hits and picking up two strikeouts in the contest.
The win took a bit of the sting out of a 9-2 loss in the opener.
KC Straley and Ferrante went 1-for-2 with one run scored each to lead the Norse offense in the opener. Coons, Roy, Bartolovich and Allie Conner each recorded a hit, while Alyssa Enrique (0-10) suffered the loss in the circle after giving up six runs on 10 hits with two strikeouts over 3.2 innings of work. Alex Caudill gave up three runs, only one of which was earned, on four hits in 3.1 innings of relief.
NKU will close out the 2015 season this weekend with a three-game series against Atlantic Sun Conference foe Jacksonville. Friday’s doubleheader and Saturday’s season finale will each begin at 1 p.m. Fans are encouraged to arrive early on Saturday as the Norse will honor their seniors with a pregame ceremony.
Norse wind up road trip at Morehead
The Northern Kentucky University baseball team wraps up a nine-game road trip against in-state rival Morehead State on Wednesday in non-conference action at Morehead.
First pitch from Allen Field is scheduled for 4 p.m. Links to live stats and John Asalon’s audio broadcast are available at NKUNorse.com. Fans can also track the game’s progress by following @NKUNorseGameDay on Twitter as well.
NKU improved to 16-24 overall and 4-8 in the Atlantic Sun Conference over the weekend with its first conference series sweep as a Division I program, taking three victories at South Carolina Upstate. The Norse used a four-run ninth inning for a 7-3 win over the Spartans in Friday’s opener and held off a three-run USC Upstate rally in the ninth on Saturday to hand the Spartans a 7-6 defeat.
NKU then scored three runs on four hits and one error in the sixth inning in Sunday’s finale to lift the Norse to a 5-3 victory.
Three NKU batters hit over .500 on the weekend led by Quint Heady’s 7-for-12 effort (.583). Heady stole four bases, drove in two runs and scored once. Logan Spurlin went 6-for-11 (.545) and scored five times, while Kyle Colletta batted .545 (6-for-11) and drove in three runs. Caleb Lonkard and Cody Kuzniczci each recorded four hits and three RBIs as Lonkard added four runs to the Norse total.
Cody Cooper recorded one win and one save against the Spartans, pitching 4.1 total innings of relief and giving up three runs, just two earned, on six hits with three strikeouts over two appearances. Matt Jefferson pitched his second complete game of the season in Sunday’s finale, allowing just three runs, only two of which were earned, on nine hits. Jefferson struck out five batters and did not walk one.
Morehead State holds a 13-8 advantage in the all-time series with NKU. The Norse used a 5-0 victory in the first-ever meeting with the Eagles on March 19, 1977. NKU has won the last three matchups between the two teams after a 21-year hiatus, including an 8-3 win over Morehead State earlier this season.
Trey Ganns went 2-for-2, drove in two runs and scored twice to lift NKU to an 8-3 victory over Morehead State on March 24 at the Bill Aker Baseball Complex.
Ganns, who recorded his first collegiate home run in the bottom of the seventh inning, was one of four batters to collect two hits against the Eagles. Taylor Sears finished 2-for-3, while Caleb Lonkard went 2-for-4 for the Norse, who improved to 6-13 overall and collected 14 hits overall. Cole Bauml rounded out the two-hit batters, going 2-for-5 from the plate with a double.
Alex Bolia earned the victory, pitching one inning of relief and giving up one run on two hits. Matt Jefferson went six innings in the start for the Norse, allowing two runs on seven hits. He struck out three batters and walked three.
NKU returns to the Bill Aker Baseball Complex for the first time since April 15 on Friday, as the Norse open a three-game Atlantic Sun series against Jacksonville.
Friday’s first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m., while Saturday is set for 1 p.m. The two teams will wrap up the series on Sunday at noon. Links to live stats is available at nku.statbroadcast.com, and John Asalon’s audio broadcast for Friday and Saturday’s contests can be found at NKUNorse.com. Sunday’s finale will be aired on ASun.TV.
From NKU Athletics