KALAMAZOO, Mich. – A three-run second proved more than enough as the Northern Illinois University Softball team posted a 4-1 win over Western Michigan and win the series with the Broncos at Fran Ebert Field Saturday.
 
With runners at second and third and two outs, Sam Schmidt (Lombard, Ill./Willowbrook) blasted a home run to centerfield to give the Huskies (21-16, 9-6) a 3-0 lead. Senior Kali Kossakowski (Elgin, Ill./St. Edward) homered to right field in the top of third to extend NIU's lead to 4-0.
 
Keegan Hayes (Naperville, Ill./Naperville), Alex Frenz (Oakville, Mo./Oakville) and the NIU defense would make that lead hold. Hayes and Frenz combined to limit Western Michigan (16-23, 4-11) to just one run, an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth, on seven hits while stranding 11 Broncos runners on the day.
 
Hayes picked up the win, improving to 5-2 on the year, allowing one run on six hits, in four-and-two-thirds innings of work. Frenz recorded her third save of the year allowing just one hit going the final two-and-a-third innings.
 
"Keegan and Alex put together a great game in the circle and got out of some tough situations," said NIU head coach Christina Sutcliffe. "Jenny [Van Geertry] again had an amazing catch in centerfield to save a couple runs and get us off the field.
 
Schmidt led the Huskie offense finishing the day going 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a run scored, while Kossakowski was behind her with a 2-for-4 one RBI and one run scored day.
 
"Sam did a nice job of putting us ahead and Kali gave us an insurance run," Sutcliffe said. "Overall, we played a nice weekend and need to keep winning series."
 
NIU returns to the diamond Friday when NIU travels to Mount Pleasant, Mich. for a weekend series with Central Michigan. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT and live stats will be available on NIUHuskies.com.
 
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