A seventh-inning comeback spoiled a solid offensive performance for the Northern Kentucky University softball team, which dropped both ends of a doubleheader to in-state foe Morehead State on Tuesday by scores of 6-5 and 9-1.
Kate Bartolovich and Ashlynn Roberts each picked up hits in both games, including extra-base hits in the opener for the Norse, who fell to 5-33 on the season.
In game one, Katelyn Roy and Paige McQueen each had a pair of hits and an RBI, and Sydney Ferrante scored two runs for the Norse, who could not hold off a seventh-inning comeback bid by Morehead State (19-19) in the opener, losing 6-5.
Dana Hutchins led the Eagles offensively, going 3-for-4 with a run scored, while Hannah Murphy and Robyn Leighton each had a pair of hits and Lindsay Ward added a home run as well. All told, the Eagles combined for 10 hits on the day.
The scoring started fast and furious in the first inning. KC Straley led things off for the Norse by taking a five-pitch walk before stealing second base and scoring on a Ferrante single to right field. After Roy struck out Bartolovich followed with an RBI-triple to score Ferrante and stake a 2-0 lead for the Norse.
The Eagles responded with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the frame. Hutchens picked up a one-out single to get things started before Karly Thompson reached when Ferrante mishandled her ground ball. Ward’s ground out set up a Tressa Watson two-run single up the middle, knotting the score at 2-2 after six outs.
Straley again was the starter for the Norse in the third inning, shooting a single back up the middle to lead things off. Again, the speedster stole second base and scored on a Roy RBI-double, giving the Norse a 3-2 lead. Morehead State threatened to rally in the bottom of the frame after a single, an error and a hit batter loaded the bases, but Alyssa Enrique pitched out of the jam, getting a groundout from Murphy to end the inning.
MSU got the run back in the bottom of the fifth inning on a Murphy RBI-single to score Thompson, who was hit by a pitch to begin the inning, but NKU retook the lead in the top of the fifth after Roy’s one-out infield single started things off. Roy advanced to second on a wild pitch before being lifted for pinch runner Alina Maher, who scored on an RBI-double by Paige McQueen. Roberts followed with an RBI-single to right field but was caught trying to take an extra base on the play to end the inning.
Ward’s lead-off home run in the seventh started the comeback for the Eagles. Katie Raile and Murphy added one-out singles and both moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. The Norse called on Roberts from the bullpen to make the save, but Leighton followed with a walk-off two-run double to give Morehead State a 6-5 victory.
Enrique (0-7) took the loss, surrendering four earned runs on nine hits while picking up a pair of strikeouts. The win went to Mackenzie Grossman (11-7), who scattered five runs on eight hits and struck out seven.
In the second game, Morehead State got home-run happy, sending three balls over the fence in a 9-1 victory.
The Norse got four hits in the contest, including an RBI-double from Ashley Rains, scoring McQueen to account for NKU’s lone run in the second inning. Ferrante extended her on-base streak to 14 games with a first-inning base on balls.
A five-run first inning set the tone for the Eagles. A two-run homer by Ward followed by a three-run homer by Murphy put Morehead State ahead, 5-0. After Rains’ double in the second for NKU, Thompson struck for a two-run homer, extending the Eagles’ lead to 7-1.
Kayla McGuffy ended the game in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run single to score Raile, who led off the inning with an infield single, and Abigail Rhodes, running for Leighton, who drew a walk to represent the game-ending run.
McGuffy, Ward and Raile each had two hits in the contest with Raile scoring a pair of runs as well.
The Norse have a quick turnaround, hitting the road again Wednesday to take on Marshall in a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch from Dot Hicks Field in Huntington, West Virginia, is set for 2 p.m. Live stats and video links are available at NKUNorse.com.
From NKU Athletics