May 9, 2010

Box Score

Box Score in PDF Format

YPSILANTI, Mich. – The Northern Illinois University softball team suffered a 7-4 loss in the regular season finale to Eastern Michigan at Varsity Field Sunday afternoon.

A four-run fifth by the Eagles (19-30-1, 8-13-1) proved to be the turning point as Eastern Michigan came from behind to complete the sweep. With the Huskies leading, 3-2, heading into the bottom of the inning, EMU’s Stacie Skodinski stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and one out and delivered a double to left field to drive in two runs and give the Eagles a 4-3 lead. Back-to-back Eastern Michigan singles drove in two more runs to give the home-standing Eagles a 6-3 lead. A run in the bottom of the sixth extended the Eagle lead to four runs heading into the final inning.

Northern Illinois (22-32, 10-10) got a run back in the top of the seventh on a RBI groundout by Michelle Williams (Fresno, Calif./Bullard) and was in position to tie the game with the bases loaded and two outs. However, Amanda Sheppard (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) popped out to the first baseman to end the game.

The Huskies opened the scoring with a run in the first inning when Dani Parrish (Plainfield, Ind./Plainfield), who led off the game with a single, came around to score on Zoe Sinner’s (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) single up the middle. Eastern responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning to retake the lead. Parrish was the catalyst in NIU’s two-run fourth. With runners at second and third and two outs, she doubled down the left field line to drive in Kate Welsh (Wilmington, Ill./Bishop McNamara) and Alexandra Wulbecker (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Hoffman Estates) giving the Huskies a 3-2 advantage. Parrish finished the day going 2-for-4 from the plate with two RBIs and a run scored.

“I thought Dani Parrish had a good day in the lead-off spot,” NIU head coach Lindsay Chouinard said. “She came up with some clutch hits for us and set the tone for the day offensively. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get it done today. Hopefully we can turn it around in the conference tournament.”

The Huskies, who have earned the No. 6 seed in the 2010 Mid-American Conference Tournament, will face No. 3 seeded Miami at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio Wednesday, May 13. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CST.Fans can follow all the action at the 2010 MAC Tournament Central page.

-NIU-