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Katie Colby had a pinch-hit bases clearing double to help lead the Huskies to victory.

Softball

Huskies' Bats Come Alive in Win Over Providence

March 8, 2009

Final Stats

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FRESNO, Calif. - A four run fourth inning propels the Northern Illinois University softball team to a 5-4 victory over Providence in the final game of the Bayer Cropscience Classic hosted by Fresno State Sunday.

"It was a good team win today," Lindsay Chouinard said. "Morgan threw really well. The defense stepped up when they needed to. Katie Colby came off the bench and had a big hit that was really the difference in the game."

After scoring three runs on 11 hits in the first four games of the tournament, the NIU (3-9) offense pounded out eight hits and played solid defense to post the victory over the Friars.

Northern Illinois began the fourth inning down 1-0. Andrea Colosimo (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) got things going for the Huskies in the top of the fourth with a one-out single. Singles by Zoe Sinner (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove) and Emily Gooding (Lismore, Australia/Lake Land C.C.) loaded the bases for NIU with only one out.

A walk by Kayla Kramer (West Chicago, Ill./West Chicago) forced in Kate Welsh (Wilmington, Ill./Bishop McNamara), who pinch ran for Colosimo. The big blow came when Katie Colby (Waukesha, Wis./West) came up with the bases loaded and lined a pinch double down the left field line clearing the bases and giving NIU a 4-1 lead.

Providence scored two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to pull to within one, 4-3. The Huskies added an insurance run in the top of the seventh when Colosimo scored on a bases loaded groundout by Dani Thompson (Canyon Country, Calif./Canyon).

The Friars threatened in their half of the inning. With the bases loaded, Providence's Katelyn Revens was thrown out at the plate trying to score. The Friars did score a run and had the tying run at third and winning run at second with two outs. However, NIU's Morgan Bittner (Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach Poly) got Gina Rossi to fly out to end the game.

Carly Norton (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) was named to the All-Tournament Team. She went 4-for-13 with a double, a triple and an RBI in the five games.

The Huskies continue their West Coast trip tomorrow when NIU travels to Stockton, Calif. to face Pacific. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. CST.

-NIU-

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