March 28, 2009

Final Stats

Game 1

Game 2

DEKALB, Ill. - With the temperature hovering just above freezing, the Northern Illinois University softball team's bats were hot as NIU remained perfect in Mid-American Conference play taking its doubleheader with Ohio Saturday afternoon at Mary M. Bell Field.

"Four wins is great," NIU head coach Lindsay Chouinard said. "It's what you hope for when you start the weekend, but it's on to the next opponent. Like we told them at the end of the game, you still need to execute and there are still things that need to be worked on."

NIU (9-17, 4-0) came from behind in the first game to post a 7-4 victory over the Bobcats (8-15, 0-4), and used a seven-run sixth to shutout Ohio 8-0 in the second affair.

Trailing 4-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth of game one, the Huskies offense came alive. The Huskies began the inning with the first three batters reaching base safely, loading the bases for Andrea Colosimo (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg). She pulled NIU to within two when she reached on a fielder's choice, driving in Dani Parrish (Plainfield, Ind./Plainfield) from third and keeping the bases full.

Down one with one out, Emily Gooding (Lismore, Australia/Lake Land C.C.) delivered the big blow of the inning when she came up with bases-clearing double. She then came in to score on a fielder's choice by Ashley Cann (Glenwood, Ill./Marian Catholic). When it was all said and done, the Huskies would score six runs on four hits and an error in the inning, taking a 7-4 lead.

Morgan Bittner (Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach Poly) posted her third-straight win, improving to 5-8 on the season. She went seven innings, allowing four runs, three earned, on eight hits and three errors. Gooding went 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored.

Sound fundamental defense, a solid pitching performance, and a late offensive explosion proved to be the formula for success for the Huskies in the second game. After the Huskies manufactured a run in the first to take a 1-0 lead, the defense stepped up in the top of the second.

Ohio loaded the bases with one out. Dani Thompson (Canyon Country, Calif. Canyon) threw out Ohio's pitcher Emily Wethington at the plate attempting to score and Colosimo struck out Brooke Morgart with the bases loaded to end the threat.

The Bobcats threatened again in the top of the fifth, loading the bases with one out. Joreigh Landers (Vernonia, Ore./Vernonia), who came in to pitch for Colosimo, was able to get out of the jam. She threw out Morgart at the plate and got Wethington to ground out to Colosimo at third, who stepped on the bag to end the inning for Ohio.

The Huskie offense took advantage of some wildness by Wethington in the sixth inning, scoring seven runs on two hits, one error, two walks and a hit batter. With the bases loaded and the Huskies, who were leading 5-0 with two outs, Zoe Sinner (Downers Grove, Ill./Lake Land C.C.) cleared the bases on a throwing error by the Ohio third baseman, giving NIU an 8-0 lead and the victory.

Landers picked up the win, shutting out the Bobcats allowing two hits in four innings. Cann had a solid day at the plate for the Huskies in the second game, going 2-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored.

"The pitchers did a good job today," Chouinard said. "I think Morgan could have been a little sharper in the beginning of the first game. Our defense is very good behind them. Everyday the pitchers trust their defense more and more. It's a lot easier to pitch when you know you have a defense behind you."

The Huskies are back in action April 1 when NIU travels to South Bend to take on Notre Dame. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.

-NIU-