The NKU softball team took on the IUPUI Jaguars on Saturday for a double-header at Frank Ignatius Grein softball field. In the first game, the Norse lost to the Jaguars 13-5 and lost 1-0 in the second. This brought the Norse down to 7-18 overall and 0-3 in the Horizon League.

Game 1: NKU can’t recover from IUPUI’s early lead

Freshman second baseman Josie Frazier was 3-for-3 at the plate and made one run for the Norse. Junior midfielder Toree Stalter and sophomore third baseman Madi Mulder each drove a pair of runs while Stalter scored one run of her own. Junior outfielder, Kambra Crist added in a run batted in and a run score. Freshman pitcher Emily Koperdak and junior catcher Taylor Hoover each added a run.

The Jaguars took an early lead in the game after scoring two runs in the first inning while keeping the Norse from scoring. Neither team scored during the second inning, but the Jaguars went on a scoring run the third inning, they scored eight runs while the Norse were able to score one run in the bottom of the inning.  

The fourth inning the Jaguars scored two runs before the Norse went up to bat. Koperdak was up to first and made it to second base on her hit. She scored a couple plays later after a throwing error from the Jaguars third baseman. Later, the Norse had the bases loaded. Stalter hit a double down allowing Hoover and Crist to score a run each.  

The fifth inning was slower with only the Jaguars scoring one point. The 13-5 lead resulted in the end of the game as they took a thirty minute break before the next game.

“We didn’t come out like we should have,” Koperdak said. “But now there’s a lot of room to grow here. From here we have to push ourselves for the rest of conference.”

Game 2: After scoreless six innings, IUPUI makes the play

The leader for the second game was junior pitcher Taylor Ginther. She pitched the entire game striking out three batters and walking none.

During the game, IUPUI had eight hits in contrast to the NKU’s three. Freshman catcher Kit Rocco, Frazier and Koperdak each had a hit for the Norse.

The first six innings saw no score, a testament to how competitive both teams defenses played throughout the game.

“We had times where we made great defensive plays and we’ve made those all year,” Head Coach Kathryn Gleason said. “The defense was keeping us in there as long we can, but we didn’t make any adjustments at the plate.”

Overall, neither team scored until the top of the sixth inning when the Jaguars made a play.  This was the first and only run scored during the game.

After the game, Ginther said “It was kind of a rough go around.  We came off Spring Break really hot and it hasn’t really transferred yet into conference yet.”

The Norse continue their season play on Tuesday, March 26, away against Ohio University. The game is slated to start at 5 p.m.