Highland Heights, KY-In a game that lived up to its billing the Cleveland State softball team dropped a nail-biter to Northern Kentucky by a 7-6 final score. NKU remains unbeaten in league play while Cleveland State falls to 5-2.
 
NKU took an early 3-0 lead with three runs in the bottom of the second inning. Cleveland State struck back by adding to its league-leading home run total as Delaney Ellis and Kylie Gorsuch hit solo home runs in the top of the third and fourth innings respectively to make it 3-2 NKU. It was the second home run of the season for Ellis and the third for Gorsuch.
 
NKU added four more runs in the fifth and sixth innings combined to take a 7-2 lead to the final frame. Cleveland State would not go quietly as the Vikings mounted a four-run rally in the top of the seventh thanks to two more home runs. Following a Gorsuch leadoff single, Brooke Albaugh cranked a two-run shot, her third of the season, to make it 7-4. Back-to-back hits from Ellis and Sydney Shammo continued the rally, with Ellis erased trying to stretch her single to a double for the first out of the inning. Emma Gilkerson followed with a two-run shot of her own that made it a one-run game still with just one out in the inning. Cleveland State put the tying run in scoring position with two outs on a Sophie Spellman double but a strikeout ended the inning as NKU escaped with the narrow victory.
 
Cleveland State tallied 13 hits with six of the nine starters recording multi-hit games. Melissa Holzopfel took the loss in the circle surrendering five earned runs while striking out seven.
 
The Vikings and Norse will meet again tomorrow for a doubleheader starting at noon. Live streaming will be available on ESPN+ for both games.