April 14, 2010
Box Score
Box Score in PDF Format 
DEKALB, Ill. - The Northern Illinois University softball team belted out a season-high 17 hits en route to a 12-8 victory over UIC at Mary M. Bell Field Wednesday evening.
"It was obviously an offensive showdown," NIU head coach Lindsay Chouinard said. "They did a good job of putting the ball in play and we did a good job putting the ball in play. I'm just glad we came out on top."
A four-run fifth proved to be the difference as the Huskies (16-22) scored the most runs all season and their highest run output since scoring 14 runs against Central Michigan April 1, 2007.
Leading 8-6 in the bottom of the fifth, Zoe Sinner (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) and Michelle Williams (Fresno, Calif./Bullard) fueled the four-run outburst by the Huskies to help seal the victory. Sinner singled to left center field to drive in two runs and a two-run two-out home run by Williams capped the four-run fifth for NIU. UIC would add two more runs in the sixth to pull to within four, 12-8.
The Flames (9-28) would threaten in the top of the seventh, loading the bases and bringing the tying run to the plate with two outs. However, sophomore Morgan Bittner (Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach Poly) struck out Melinda Macias to end the contest.
NIU fell behind early on a two-out three-run homer to left field by Shannon Kehr in the top of the first inning, but rallied in the bottom half, scoring three runs on three hits and a UIC error. Sinner got things started with an infield single. With the bases loaded and one out, Jennifer Barnett (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli) singled to left to drive in Sinner. A bases-loaded double to right center field by Adriana Sanchez (San Fernando, Calif./Alemany) drove in two more runs to tie the game, 3-3.
A two-run blast by Amanda Sheppard (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) to dead center field, the first home run of her career, gave NIU a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the second. However, it would be short lived as the Flames came back in the top of the third to retake the advantage, 6-5, after scoring three runs on a hit and a Huskie error. NIU tied the game again in the bottom the frame on a RBI double by Williams.
Williams led the way for the Huskies going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored, while Barnett also went 3-for-4 with two runs batted in. Sheppard had a solid game all-around for the Huskies, going 2-for-3 from the plate with two RBIs, three runs scored. She also played well in the field, recording three putouts, including a nice diving catch.
"Amanda's doing a really great job of settling in," Chouinard said. "Over the last past couple of weeks, she's just finding a way of getting it done. She's making great plays in left. When she makes a diving catch, it's no longer shocking or exciting. It's just what she does now. She's just become very consistent."
Bittner, (11-9) who came in to pitch in relief of starter Whitney Owens (Pendleton, Ind./Pendleton Heights), allowed two runs, both unearned, on six hits in four innings of work to pick up the victory.
Northern Illinois University returns to Ohio this weekend for a doubleheader with Toledo on Friday and a weekend set with MAC East foe Bowling Green. First pitch for the Huskies and Rockets is set for 12 p.m. Central with the second game to follow.
-NIU-
