DEKALB, Ill. – A three-run fifth proved to be the difference as the Northern Illinois University Softball team won a slugfest over Bowling Green at Mary M. Bell Field Friday.
 
"The ability to score almost every single inning, but more importantly, once they [Bowling Green] took our lead away for us and tie it up, we were able to hold our composure and come back with another five runs after that shows the tenacity of this team," said NIU head coach Christina Sutcliffe.
 
The Huskies (15-11, 3-1) pounded out 15 hits with the top of the order leading the way. NIU's one through three hitters combined to go 8-for-12 with four runs batted in and two runs scored. Bekah Harnish (Maple Park, Ill./Burlington Central) continued her torrid homestand, reaching base three times, going 3-for-3 with a hit by pitch, two RBIs and a run scored.
 
"Bekah Harnish was unstoppable," Sutcliffe said. "She was hitting the ball hard today. If we were playing at home all the time, Harnish would be hiiting .800 and be an All-American. Since conference play has started she's been on fire."
 
While the top of the order led the way, the bottom of the line up kept things rolling, going 5-for-8 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Jenny Van Geertry (Mokena, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.
 
Pitcher Alex Frenz (Oakville, Mo.) improved to 10-2 on the year when she came in to pitch in relief for Tara Thacker (Uniontown, Ohio/North Hoover Canton) who pitched three-and-two-thirds innings allowing four runs, two earned, on four hits. After giving up a game-tying home run in the fifth, Frenz settled in and allowed just two hits the next three innings.
 
NIU raced out to a 5-0 lead through the first three innings with Kali Kossakowski (Elgin, Ill./St. Edward) opening the scoring with a leadoff homer in the first inning. The Huskies came back with a three-run keyed by a two-out, two-run single by Harnish. An RBI single by Van Geertry capped the scoring run by the Huskies.
 
However, Bowling Green (15-20, 1-3) came all the way back in the fourth and fifth innings. A four-run fourth by the Falcons, aided by a Huskie error, and a solo home run in the fifth helped BG to tie the game 5-5 headed into the bottom of the fifth.
 
The Huskies stormed back, with a three-run four-hit inning and capitalized on a Falcon error. Kossakowski began the rally when she singled up the middle with two outs. Harnish continued the inning when she was hit by a pitch to put two on for Kayti Grable (Santana, Calif./Santee). Grable delivered a single to right field and the Falcon fielder overran the ball, allowing both runners to score and put Grable on third. Alaynie Woollard (New Castle, Ind./New Castle) singled to center to score Grable.
 
NIU added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth.
 
NIU returns to action Saturday when the Huskies conclude their series with the Falcons in doubleheader action. First pitch for game one is set for 1 p.m. CT with the second game to follow. Live stats will be available on NIUHuskies.com and the game can be seen on NIUTube.
 
-NIU-