April 12, 2009

Final Stats

Box Score

DEKALB, Ill. - The Northern Illinois University softball team came up on the short end of a pitcher's duel losing to Western Michigan, 1-0, Sunday afternoon at Mary M. Bell Field.

"Both pitchers did a good job," NIU head coach Lindsay Chouinard said. "They did exactly what their coaches asked them to do today."

Freshman Morgan Bittner (Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach Poly) turned in another strong outing, allowing one run on four hits, while striking out seven. Unfortunately for the Huskies (11-25, 6-4), Western Michigan's (14-14, 7-2) Meghan Thomas pitched a little bit better, limiting NIU to just one hit.

Things looked grim for the Huskies early, after the Broncos loaded the bases with just one out in the top of the first. Bittner got out of the jam by inducing Mandy Sayers to fly out to Katie Colby (Waukesha, Wis./West), who then gunned down Sarah Thomas at the plate as she was trying to score from third to end.

"It's nice to know that our defense is coming together," Bittner said. "A lot people made good plays today. I was impressed by them."

In the fourth inning, Bittner struck out the side. She's the first Huskie to accomplish that feat since Lindsey LaChiana did it April 30, 2005 against Central Michigan.

Her only blemish of the game came in the sixth inning. After retiring the first batters, she gave up a single to Lexi Jager and walked the next two batters. Meghan Thomas stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and helped her own cause with an RBI single, plating the winning run.

"She's very capable," Chouinard said of Bittner. "She's very good at getting inside batter's heads. You hope she can pitch like that all the time. She's had games when she hasn't been on and we've won. If she pitches like she did today the rest of the season she'll be great."

Northern Illinois embarks on a seven-game road trip when the Huskies travel to Macomb, Ill. for a doubleheader with Western Illinois. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.

-NIU-