April 17, 2011

Box Score

Game One Box Score in PDF Format

Game Two Box Score in PDF Format

DEKALB, Ill. - The Northern Illinois University softball team swept its doubleheader with Mid-American Conference foe Akron Sunday afternoon at Mary M. Bell Field.

The Huskies (17-19, 7-3) came back to win the first game, 4-3, and edged out the Zips (18-19, 2-8) 3-2 in Game Two.

Northern Illinois pitcher's Nicole Gremillion (Missouri City, Texas/Elkins) and Morgan Bittner (Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach Poly) turned in solid performances with Gremillion picking up the victories and Bittner recording the saves. The two combined to allow six runs, four earned, on 14 hits, with Bittner allowing one unearned run in seven innings of work.

"Anytime you're giving up no earned runs in a day you're doing a great job," said NIU head coach Lindsay Chouinard of Bittner's performance. "Morgan came in and closed both games today which is wonderful. She kept them off balance and that's what she needs to do."

Bittner started the first game, going the first five innings and keeping NIU in the game until the Huskie offense could break the 1-1 tie. However, it was the Akron bats that struck first as Olivia Hegedus broke the deadlock with a two-run homer to left field off Gremillion, who came in in relief for Bittner in the top of the sixth.

NIU responded with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. With two on and no outs, Shelby Miller (Ottawa, Kan,/Ottawa) singled through the left side, driving in pinch runner Erika Oswald (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South). Adriana Sanchez (San Fernando, Calif./Alemany) tied the game 3-3 on a one-out single. Dani Parrish (Plainfield, Ind./Plainfield) scored from third on a double steal to give NIU the 4-3 lead.

Bittner returned to pitch the seventh inning, shutting down the Zips, to record the save.

The second game was much like the first. Akron took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth on Hegedus' second homer of the day, this time to right-center field. Again, NIU answered with a run in the bottom of the frame. With the game tied 1-1 and two outs, Andrea Colosimo (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) delivered a two-run double to right field to give NIU a 3-1 lead.

After a lead-off single by Allison Dorr, Bittner came in to record the final three outs. Dorr came around to score on an RBI single to by Katie Gross, but that would be as close as the Zips would get and NIU went on to win the game 3-2.

Stephanie Tofft (Lincoln, Calif./Lincoln) extended her school-record hitting streak to 27 games. She went 2-for-3 with two runs scored in Game One and a 1-for-3 performance in the second contest. Colosimo and Sanchez led the way for the Huskie offense with Sanchez going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Colosimo going 2-for-3 with two RBIs in the second game.

Northern Illinois is back in action Tuesday when the Huskies travel to Western Illinois. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.

-NIU-