April 9, 2008

Game One

Game Two

Game One

Game Two

DeKALB, Ill. - The Northern Illinois softball team split a doubleheader with Western Illinois (4-21, 2-3), winning the Huskie (6-19, 0-4) home opener in the first game, 3-1, before losing the second game, 9-6.

First-year head coach Lindsay Chouinard picked up her first win in her first attempt at Mary M. Bell Field in NIU's 3-1 win in game one, extending NIU's record in home openers to 9-5 over the last 14 years.

"It's great to get the first win at home in front of the fans," said Chouinard. "We had a good game and our pitchers threw really well. We got hits when we needed them. It was a good way to start the home season."

The Huskies scored two runs in the second inning to take a 2-0 lead that they would not relinquish. Junior Katie Colby (Waukesha, Wis./West) drove in the first run by reaching on a fielder's choice, allowing senior Michelle Nendza (Palos Park, Ill./Lemont Mt. Assisi) to score from third.

Later in the inning with senior Jenna Mitchell (Matteson, Ill./Rich South) on second and junior Ashley Clement (Moline, Ill./Moline) on third, the Huskies executed a double steal that caught the WIU off guard. WIU catcher Nikki Marinec's throw went to left field as third baseman Julie DePolo did not get to the base in time, enabling Mitchell to score from second base.

Colby added her second run batted in of the game in the sixth inning with a double to left-center that scored sophomore Kate Welsh (Wilmington, Ill./Bishop McNamara) from second and gave NIU a 3-1 lead.

Sophomore Kate Greenough (Portland, Ore./David Douglas) notched her fourth win of the year (4-10) after relieving senior Taryn Hagemann (Rochelle, Ill./Rochelle) in the third inning with two outs. Greenough went 4.1 innings and gave up no runs on two hits with two walks and four strike outs.

Lori Pankratz (0-6) took the loss for Western Illinois, giving up two earned runs on six hits with one walk and four strike outs.

Clement, Colby and Nendza each had two hits for the Huskie offense.

In game two, the Huskies fell behind, 7-0, after a six-run fourth inning by Western Illinois and heading into the seventh, NIU trailed 9-1, but the Huskies did not go down easy.

NIU scored five runs with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to pull within three runs before the Westerwinds ended the game, 9-6. Senior Krista McPherson (Beecher, Ill./Beecher) and sophomore Allie Parker (Evergreen Park, Ill./Marist) each singled to drive in a run. Nendza added a two-run double and Clement had a run-scoring double to cap the inning for NIU.

"We did a good job of fighting back," Chouinard said. "It was great to see that they had fight in them, but sometimes it's just too little, too late."

Westerwind pitcher Courtney Jacobson (2-4) earned the win after pitching 6.2 innings, allowing six earned runs on 10 hits with a walk and seven strike outs.

Hagemann (0-5) took the loss for NIU as she pitched six innings, giving up three earned runs on six hits with a walk and a strike out.

Clement, McPherson and freshman Andrea Colosimo (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) had two hits apiece for the Huskie offense.

NIU returns to Mary M. Bell Field on Friday, April 11 to face Buffalo (3-19, 1-3) in a doubleheader at 1 p.m.

-NIU-