Final Stats

KENT, Ohio -- The Northern Illinois University softball team nearly rallied from a four-run deficit Saturday, but ultimately dropped an 11-5 decision to Kent State.
 
The Huskies (28-22, 11-8 MAC) got three home runs from Emily Naegele (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest), Kayti Grable (Santee, Calif./Santana) and Bekah Harnish (Maple Park, Ill./Burlington Central), but the Golden Flashes' (38-11, 16-4 MAC) offense proved to be too much.
 
After NIU and KSU went scoreless over the first two innings, the Golden Flashes got on the board in the bottom of the third. Lauren Kesterson led off with a single, while Dani Ramos reached base on an infield single two batters later to put two on and one out for the MAC's home run and RBI leader Maddy Grimm. The sophomore infielder followed with a home run to left-center that gave KSU a 3-0 lead.
 
The Huskies got one back in the top of the fourth, though, with one swing, as Naegele led off the frame with a solo shot to left field. Not only did the junior trim the deficit to 3-1, but she also ended KSU's 46.2-inning scoreless streak.
 
The Golden Flashes answered with two more runs in the bottom half of the fourth to make it a 5-1 game. After Ronnie Landines opened with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, Erika Warren cleared the bases with a homer to right-center.
 
Facing a four-run deficit, NIU clawed back to within one run thanks to some more long balls. Grable cut the KSU lead to two with a two-run shot to left field for her 13th dinger of the season. After sitting the Golden Flashes down in order in the bottom of the inning, Harnish opened the sixth with a solo homer to left-center -- the first of her career -- to get the Huskies within 5-4.
 
However, disaster struck in the bottom of the sixth for NIU, as the Golden Flashes put up six runs. KSU loaded the bases with two walks and an error, allowing Janel Hayes' fielder's choice to bring in a run to make it 6-4 Golden Flashes. Moments later, Kim Kirkpatrick doubled home two more runs to make it 8-4, while Ramos ended the scoring with a three-run home run to center field.
 
The Huskies didn't go down quietly in the seventh. After Bryanna Phelan (Coal City, Ill./Coal City) reached on an error and Kali Kossakowski (Elgin, Ill./St. Edward) on a single, Naegele brought in a run on an infield error to make it 11-5. Harnish loaded the bases on a hit by pitch, but KSU got out of the inning with a strikeout and a groundout.
 
The Huskies close out the weekend and the regular season tomorrow when they face the Golden Flashes in game two of the series. First pitch is set for noon CT.