April 14, 2007
Box Score
DEKALB, Ill. -The Northern Illinois University softball team dropped the series opener with Western Michigan University, 4-2, Saturday at Mary M. Bell Field.
A three-run seventh by Western Michigan (13-13, 5-4) proved the difference in the ballgame. The Huskies (15-19, 4-5) had a promising start. In the first inning, the first three batters reached safely, loading the bases with no outs. Ellen Stoddard struck out swinging and Kelly Park reached on a fielder's choice. Krista McPherson was thrown out at home plate trying to score on Park's hit.
The bases were still loaded with two outs when Michelle Nendza came to the plate. The junior out of Palos Park, Ill. delivered a single to left field driving in Bailey Ouellette to give the Huskies the early 1-0 lead. The Broncos responded in the top of the second with a run of their own tying the game at 1-1.
That was the score heading into the top of the seventh. The Broncos broke the game open with three runs in the final frame. Down 4-1, NIU went into the bottom of the seventh trying to put together a late rally. Ashley Clement led off the inning with a double. The Huskies loaded the bases again, this time with one out. Stoddard hit a sacrifice fly to drive in pinch runner Jenna Mitchell, but that would be the closest the Huskies would get, falling to the defending MAC West champion Broncos.
"We didn't really get the job done in the first inning," NIU head coach Donna Martin said. "We got one run out of it, but should have and could have gotten more. You never know what things are going to be the determining factor in a game.
"We hit the ball pretty well. We just didn't have a whole lot to show for it. We just needed to be able to execute better with runners in scoring position today."
McPherson went 2-4 for the Huskies, while Nendza was 1-2 with a run batted in. Taryn Hagemann (6-9) suffered the loss for the Huskies. She went 6.1 innings, allowing four runs, three earned, on eight hits.
The Huskies are back in action Sunday when NIU takes on Western Michigan in the series finale at Mary M. Bell Field. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. CST. Fans can catch all the action live on GameTracker at niuhuskies.com.
