April 15, 2007
Box Score
DEKALB, Ill. - The Northern Illinois University softball team defeated Western Michigan University, 7-0, in the series finale Sunday afternoon at Mary M. Bell Field. The Huskies (16-19, 5-5) split the two-game series on the strength of a six-run third inning.
An error by Western Michigan's (13-14, 5-5) Jenna Stuppy opened the door for NIU, and the Huskies kicked it down. Krystn Sendejas reached on the fielding miscue and Krista McPherson followed with a single. With a two on and nobody out, Bailey Ouellette moved the two runners on a sacrifice bunt bringing Randi Kreiter to the plate.
Kreiter delivered, grounding out, but scoring Sendejas from third. With a runner on third and two outs, Michelle Nendza stepped to the plate. She hit a fly ball to left field that would have ended the inning. The ball was dropped by Kristi Strange allowing McPherson to score. An Ellen Stoddard single put runners at the corners for Kelly Park. Park singled to left, driving in Nendza.
"I thought we did a good job of taking advantage of their mistakes," NIU head coach Donna Martin said. "That's uncharacteristic of them. We did a good job of keeping the pressure on them."
Ashley Clement drew a walk to load the bases. Freshman catcher Allie Parker cleared the bases with a double to left field. When it was all said and done, the Huskies scored six runs in the third on four hits and two errors. NIU added another run in the sixth.
"That was the nail in the coffin," Martin said of Parker's three-run double. "She has good at bats, she's just short on the experience side. It's a good confidence boost for her to get a hit like that."
Freshman Kate Greenough evened her record to 10-10 on the season. She went the distance shutting down the Bronco offense, holding them to three hits and striking out five. McPherson went 2-4 with a run scored and Parker went 1-3 with three runs batted in.
The Huskies are back in action Friday, when NIU travels to Buffalo, N.Y. to take on Buffalo in doubleheader action. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. CST.
