Final Stats

DEKALB, Ill. -- The Northern Illinois University softball team played a pair of tight contests with Miami Friday in Oxford, Ohio, as the two split a conference doubleheader.
 
The Huskies (22-18, 6-4 MAC) came from behind in the seventh to defeat the RedHawks (24-17, 8-4 MAC) in game one, 2-1, but saw Miami take a 4-3 victory in game two.
 
"We did a good job of staying patient and continuing to fight throughout both games," said NIU head coach Christina Sutcliffe. "They were two extremely hard-fought games by both teams."
 
Game One: Huskies Rally Past RedHawks, 2-1
 
A seventh-inning rally and solid pitching lifted NIU to a 2-1 victory over Miami in game one of the doubleheader.
 
Facing a 1-0 deficit heading into the top of the seventh, Alaynie Woollard (New Castle, Ind./New Castle) homered to tie the game, while Bryanna Phelan (Coal City, Ill./Coal City) knocked in the go-ahead run with two outs.
 
Keegan Hayes (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central) and Miami's Amber Logemann traded scoreless innings from the start. Logemann notched seven strikeouts in the game, but NIU's freshman hurler countered by scattering eight hits over seven innings and held Miami to just 1-of-12 hitting with runners in scoring position.
 
"I thought Keegan did a really good job today," Sutcliffe said. "We started her in the second game because of how well she did in the first game. She gave us her all and we made plays behind her, which helped, as well."
 
The RedHawks got on the board first in the bottom of the third. Tiyona Marshall led off with a single, while Tanya Busby's fielder's choice put runners on first and second with none out. Moments later, Miami got on the board when an error in the infield allowed Marshall to score and give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
 
While the NIU offense was unable to get much going against Logemann, Hayes kept the Huskies in the game with superb pitching. In the fifth, Miami looked to add to their lead with runners on first and second with one out, but the Naperville, Illinois, native ended the threat with a strikeout and a groundout.
 
In the sixth, the Huskies found their first real scoring opportunity of the game. Following a Phelan walk and a Kali Kossakowski (Elgin, Ill./St. Edward) fielder's choice, Logemann walked Kayti Grable (Santee, Calif./Santana) and Emily Naegele (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) to load the bases with two outs. Yet, Miami got a groundout to keep its lead intact.
 
Conversely, the RedHawks had their own opportunity to add insurance runs in the bottom half of the frame, but Hayes again denied Miami's offense. Following two quick outs, Miami got a pair of singles to put two on with two out and Marshall up to bat. However, Hayes came through by forcing a harmless popup to end the inning.
 
That set the stage for the Huskie rally in the seventh. Woollard quickly turned momentum in NIU's favor with a lead-off solo shot to left field -- her ninth dinger of the year -- to tie the game at 1-1. Three batters later, Caitlyn Warren (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) kept the inning alive with a two-out double to right-center. Phelan capitalized on the opportunity by shooting a grounder just inside the leftfield line to score Warren and give the Huskies their first lead of the game.
 
Just three outs away from her 12th win of the year, Hayes turned away the RedHawks in the bottom of the seventh. Despite an error that put a runner on second, she forced two groundouts and a flyout to clinch the win.
 
Game Two: Miami's Walk-Off Double Drops NIU, 4-3
 
The tables were turned on NIU in the second half of the doubleheader, as Miami scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to deal the Huskies a 4-3 loss.
 
NIU took a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh with a solo home run from Caitlyn Warren. However, a two-run double by RedHawk Shanyn McIntyre in the bottom of the seventh gave Miami the win.
 
"We just need to figure out how to play defense in the seventh inning on when the pressure's on," Sutcliffe said. "We're just making too many mistakes in the defenses we're in and didn't do a good enough job today."
 
Much like game one, the Huskies and RedHawks exchanged zeroes over the first three innings. Keegan Hayes gave up just two hits and a walk, while Miami starter Kelsey Fredericks gave up just two hits and a walk before being replaced with two outs in the top of the third.
 
In the fourth, NIU broke the deadlock. Emily Naegele reached base on a hit by pitch, then moved to second on a sac bunt and on to third with a flyout. Jessica Sturm (Wichita, Kan./Goddard) came through with a two-out single to bring home Naegele and give the Huskies a 1-0 lead.
 
The RedHawks countered in the bottom of the fifth with two runs to take the lead. With two outs on the board, Tanya Busby kept the inning alive for Miami by reaching on an error, while Eryn McCarver drew a walk to load the bases. Taylor Shuey tied the game with an infield RBI single and McIntyre followed with a single of her own to give the RedHawks a 2-1 lead.
 
The Huskies, though, didn't trail for long. After a groundout and a strikeout to start the frame, Bekah Harnish (Maple Park, Ill./Burlington Central) kept NIU going with a walk. Alaynie Woollard singled to put two on for Sturm, who came through again with another two-out RBI single to score Harnish and tie the game at 2-2.
 
One inning later, NIU reclaimed the lead when Warren hit her third home run of the season to give the Huskies a 3-2 edge. In Miami's half of the seventh, Busby singled, McCarver reached on an error and Shuey walked to load the bases with one out. That's when McIntyre launched a double to centerfield, scoring Busby and McCarver to give the RedHawks a walk-off win.
 
The Huskies head to Muncie, Indiana, tomorrow for a doubleheader against Ball State. Game one is set for a noon CT start.