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The NKU softball team took on Miami (Ohio) in a double header on Tuesday afternoon.  The final score of the first game was 5-1 with the Redhawks winning. The final score of the second game was 3-2 with the Redhawks taking the win as well. Overall, the Norse’s record falls 17-30 while the Redhawks’ record improves 30-14.

Game 1

At the plate, junior outfielder Ava Lawson and senior catcher/infielder Kara Meter each hit a 2-for-3.  Lawson hit her first triple of the season and managed to help senior outfielder Zahrya McFarland make the Norse one and only run of the game.  Overall, the Redhawks out-hit the Norse 12-4.

On the mound, sophomore pitcher started for the Norse.  She allowed three runs on two hits and pitched for two innings. She was replaced during the third inning by freshman pitcher Emily Koperdak.  Koperdak struck out one batter and allowed two runs.

Neither team scored during the first inning. The action for the Norse didn’t pick up until the bottom of the fourth inning when McFarland earned a walk and was sent home by a triple from Lawson. After a single home run at the top of the fifth, Miami earned their fifth and final run of the game. The Redhawks earned a two-run double and an RBI to score three points at the top of the ninth inning.

Between the two games, Norse head coach Kathryn Gleason told her team to “learn from each other.”

“My point was learn from each at bat,” Gleason said. “We’re sitting in the dugout doing cheers, which is great, but let’s learn from each other so we can be better at the plate.”

Going into the second game, the players took her words to heart.

“We definitely made some improvements at bat,” junior pitcher Taylor Ginther said. “And in swinging at our pitches and not swinging her pitches and saying in our accounts, and the pitcher’s counts.”

Game 2

At the plate, junior outfielder Isabell Alexander, hit 3-for-3 and had NKU’s only multi-hit performance.  Lawson and Meter each earned a run for the Norse. Each teams had seven hits registered overall.

On the mound, Ginther pitched the entire game for the Norse, racking up five strikeouts and one walk.

“I thought Taylor pitched a heck of a game, you know,” said Gleason.  “They just got their 30th win… and she held them down. You know, I think she had her spots. You know, Maddie did a great job calling the game behind the plate.”

Neither team scored during the first two innings, but the Redhawks took an early lead as they scored two runs at the top of the third inning.  They didn’t hold that lead for long, as the Norse fought back at the bottom of the third to score two runs of their own.

Neither team scored again for the remaining four innings of the game, so they were forced into an eighth inning. The Redhawks were able to make a run after a single to give them their third point of the game. The Norse tried to fight back at the bottom of the eighth, and managed to get a runner on third, but that’s as far as they made it.

“As far as the second game we played very good defense and I think we strung hits together,” Sophomore catcher Madi Mulder said. “ I think we need to be better moving the runners as far as like punching them over and scoring them.”

The Norse continue their season in a conference series against Cleveland State on Friday, May 3 and Saturday, May 4 at home.  Friday’s game is slated to start at 4 p.m.

“We’re really excited to play Cleveland State,” Ginther said. “We want to see if we can get one more conference series win before conference tournament.”