Final Stats

NIU 2-UIC 0 Box Score 

CHICAGO – The Northern Illinois University softball team blanked UIC, 2-0, in a midweek test of in-state rivals at Flames Field Tuesday.

The victory over the Flames (27-15) was the fifth-straight win for the Huskies (32-13) who have now won seven of their last nine games. Tuesday’s win was also the eighth shutout for the Huskies on the season.

It’s also nice to beat a crosstown rival,” said NIU head coach Christina Sutcliffe. “We pitched really well, played some good defense and did enough offensively to win.”

NIU’s Alex Frenz (Oakville, Mo./Oakville) and Tara Thacker (Uniontown, Ohio/North Canton Hoover) once again proved too tough in the circle. Frenz improved to 14-4 on the season, while Thacker picked up her fifth save of the year.

“Those two are a really nice one-two punch right now,” Sutcliffe said. “Tara’s been doing an amazing job coming in in late innings under a lot of pressure and being able to get us out of the innings. Her composure has been phenomenal and she’s done a really nice job.”

Back-to-back singles by the first two Flame batters created a little drama for the Huskies who took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh. However, Thacker came in to pitch for Frenz. After a sacrifice bunt moved the tying run into scoring position, the Huskie sophomore retired the next two batters and seal the victory.

“She’s proven she has some ice going through those veins,” Sutcliffe said of Thacker. “Last weekend, she came in with a bases loaded situation and no outs and got out of it. Today, she came in with the tying runners on base and was able to get out of it. She’s doing a really good job in that circle for us.”

After neither team was able to scratch across a run in the first, the Huskies struck first in the top of the second, taking advantage of some wildness by UIC starter Elaine Heflin. Jenny Van Geertry (Mokena, Ill./Lincoln-Way East), who reached on a fielder’s choice with one out, advanced to second on a Bekah Rupard (Normal, Ill./Normal West) single up the middle. Rupard and Van Geerty then took second and third, respectively, on a passed ball. Van Geertry then scored on a wild pitch.

That would be all the runs NIU would need as Frenz was able to keep the Flames off the scoreboard. The next four innings. The Huskies added an insurance run in the top of the sixth. Kayti Grable (Santee, Calif./Santana) followed up a leadoff triple by Bekah Harnish (Maple Park, Ill./Burlington Central) with an RBI double.

The Huskies travel to Toledo Friday to begin a three-game weekend set with the Rockets. Friday’s game, which is set to begin at 2 p.m. CT, will be available on ESPN3.

-NIU-