Final Stats

NIU 1-EMU 0 Box Score 

NIU 6-EMU 1 Box Score 

YPSILANTI, Mich. – The Northern Illinois University softball team completed its weekend series sweep of Eastern Michigan by taking the doubleheader with the Eagles at Varsity Field in Ypsilanti, Mich. Saturday.

NIU (31-13, 12-5) won a pitcher’s duel, 1-0, to start the day before posting a 6-1 victory in game two over Eastern Michigan (18-26, 8-9). Pitchers Alex Frenz (Oakville, Mo./Oakville) and Tara Thacker (Uniontown, Ohio/North Canton Hoover) once again did an excellent job in the circle.

The duo combined to scatter 14 hits and three walks in 14 innings. Thacker picked up both victories, pitching the final two innings of game one before going the distance in game two, allowing one run on five hits.

“Tara and Alex both did a really nice job today of getting us off the field, giving up one run on the day,” NIU head coach Christina Sutcliffe said. “Two runs on the weekend is definitely a great job by them.

A bases loaded walk in the seventh inning by Bekah Harnish (Maple Park, Ill./Burlington Central) drove in the lone run in the first game of the day.

“In the first game, our patience at the plate paid off,” Sutcliffe said. “We left 14 runners on base, but when push came to shove it ended up being a walk that ended the game for us. We stuck to our plan there and were able to execute it.”

Frenz and Thacker combined to shutout the Eagles with Thacker coming in to pitch in the sixth inning. Frenz kept the Huskies in the game, allowing nine hits and a walk in five innings of shutout softball. Both Frenz and Thacker each pitched out of bases loaded jams.

The Huskies didn’t wait long to put a run up on the board in game two. NIU plated two runs in the first on RBI singles by Kayti Grable (Santee, Calif./Santana) and Caitlyn Warren (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North).

NIU added two more runs in the second thanks to a two-RBI double by Grable. With Warren on third and Harnish on second via a throwing error, the Huskies added another run in the third when Warren scored on a throwing error by the Eagle catcher.

Grable went 3-for-4 on the day with three RBIs, while Warren continued her hot weekend going 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored in the second game.

“Caitlyn Warren came through in the second game for us,” she said. “She did a nice job of getting us on the board and extending the lead.”

NIU returns to the diamond Tuesday when the Huskies travel to Chicago to face UIC. First pitch for the single game is set for 5 p.m.

-NIU-