May 3, 2009

Final Stats

Box Score

BUFFALO - The Northern Illinois University softball team closed out its 2009 regular season with a three-game winning streak after posting a 6-2 victory over MAC East foe Buffalo at Nan Harvey Field Sunday afternoon.

With the score tied 2-2 heading into the top of the sixth, the Huskies (18-35, 12-10) erupted with four runs on three hits to push past the Bulls (25-27, 7-15). Carly Norton (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) blasted a two-run homer to center field to give NIU a 4-2 lead and with two on and two out, Zoe Sinner (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) cleared the bases with a single to give Northern Illinois a 6-2 lead.

NIU jumped on top early, courtesy of a lead-off home run by Katie Colby (Waukesha, Wis./West) in the second inning. It was Colby's second of the week and second of her career. Northern Illinois added another run in the top of the third when Jenna Roberts (Verona, Wis./West) scored on a sacrifice fly by Andrea Colosimo (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) to take a 2-0 advantage.

The Bulls scored their two runs on two hits and two errors in the bottom of the fifth. Both runs were unearned. Morgan Bittner (Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach Poly) went seven innings, allowing two runs on three hits and struck out two. She enters the conference tournament with 12-18 record and a 4.22 earned run average.

"Morgan pitched a great game," NIU head coach Lindsay Chouinard said. "It seems like she's hitting her stride right around championship time. She's looking really good on the mound."

NIU continues to swing the bat well, pounding out six hits. Colby went 1-for-4 with two runs batted in, while Norton went 1-for-4 with a RBI. Bailey Ouellette (Beaverton, Ore./Beaverton) went a perfect 2-for-2 on the day.

"The offense did a good job again," Chouinard said. "Katie and Carly came up with big hits when we needed them."

The Huskies will open up the 2009 Mid-American Conference Softball Tournament Wednesday, May 6 at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio.

-NIU-