GAME ONE BOX SCORE (XML) | BOX SCORE (PDF) | GAME TWO BOX SCORE (XML) | BOX SCORE (PDF)
 
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Kennesaw State softball team dominated Northern Kentucky in an Atlantic Sun Conference doubleheader sweep, 8-2 and 13-7, on Saturday (April 11) at Grein Softball Field.
 
"I am proud of the way the kids fought today," said interim head coach Tory Acheson. "We are operating with a skeleton crew this weekend. Monica Vickery came through in game two under very difficult circumstances when we really needed her. Offensively, we had a bunch of kids step up with big performances. Hopefully we can finish the series off in a good way tomorrow."
 
With the sweep, the Owls have secured their fourth-straight conference series win and have won seven-straight league games to improve to 9-5 in A-Sun action and 28-14 overall.
 
Junior Courtney Sutter led the KSU offense on the day with a 5-of-8 performance, including a home run, double to go along with six RBI and two runs, while senior Natalie Rhodes also tallied five hits, junior Megan Veringa totaled four hits and four RBI and junior Hillary Kartman registered a pair of long balls.
 
Kartman got things going for the Owls in game one with a two-run homer in the second inning.
 
The Norse (5-25, 1-9) tied up the score at 2-2 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third, but the Owls answered by scoring in the next three innings, including a three-run frame in the fifth and went on for the 8-2 win.
 
KSU posted 13 hits in the win, while NKU had eight hits and two errors. Sutter and junior Kara Chambers led the Owls with three hits, with Sutter and Kartman also recording a pair of RBIs each.
 
Sophomore Logan Viers (7-3) earned the win after allowing two earned runs on eight hits and striking out three in a complete game effort.
 
Ashlynn Roberts (3-9) gave up eight runs, seven earned, on 13 hits in seven innings of action.
 
It was a back-and-forth affair to start the day's second game with the scored tied at 6-6 through the first two innings.
 
Kartman started off the third with a solo shot to left field as the Owls put up three runs in the inning to separate themselves from the Norse, before a three-run home run from Veringa in the fifth inning pushed the KSU lead to 12-6. Both teams would score once more as the Owls earned the 7-3 victory in game two.
 
KSU totaled 14 hits and an error, while the Norse had five hits and three errors. Veringa paced the Owls with a 3-of-5 effort plus four RBI, while Sutter also tallied four RBIs and Rhodes registered three hits and three runs.
 
Senior Monica Vickery (4-2) earned the win after allowing just one earned run on one hit in five and one-third innings in relief of senior starter Paige Mathews, who gave up six runs, five earned, on four hits in one and two-thirds innings of work.
 
Alex Caudill (2-9) suffered the loss after giving up nine runs, eight earned, on eight hits in two innings of action.
 
The Owls will go for the series sweep in Sunday's (April 12) series finale at 12 p.m. ET at Grein Softball Field in Highland Heights, Ky.
 
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