DEKALB, Ill. – Solid pitching performances in both ends of its midweek doubleheader with Valparaiso keyed the Northern Illinois University Softball team's sweep of the Crusaders at Mary M. Bell Field Wednesday.
 
The Huskies (24-18) rallied from a pair of first run deficits, taking the first game from Valparaiso (24-18), 7-4, and winning the second, 5-2.
 
"Giving them [Valpo] a four-run spot in the first inning right off the bat, it didn't look like the day would go this way," said NIU head coach Christina Sutcliffe. "We stayed patient, stayed with it and finally pulled a doubleheader out, something we've been struggling with all year."
 
In game one, Tara Thacker (Uniontown, Ohio/North Canton Hoover) entered the pitcher's circle with NIU trailing Valpo, 4-0, with only one out in the top of the first and shut down the Crusader offense. The Huskie junior allowed just two hits and a walk the next six-and-two-thirds innings while striking out nine.
 
"Tara was lights out," Sutcliffe said. "She got them to chase high and often. We just kept drilling it. Until they make an adjustment we're going to stick with it. They never did, so she just kept hitting the zone with it."
 
In game two, Keegan Hayes (Naperville, Ill./Naperville) turned in five strong innings of work, allowing two first-inning runs, while Alex Frenz (Oakville, Mo./Oakville) pitched two clean innings of relief to seal the victory for NIU.
 
While the Huskie pitching staff kept the Crusaders at bay, the NIU offense put them away. The Huskies responded to their 4-0 first-inning whole with a three spot in the bottom of the inning with all three runs coming via the long ball. Kayti Grable's (Santee, Calif./Santana) two-run homer, her eighth round tripper of the season, highlighted the inning. Abby Howlett's (South Elgin, Ill./St. Charles North) solo shot with two outs, pulled NIU to within a run.
 
After a pair of scoreless innings, the Huskies took control of the game with a four-run fourth. After back-to-back hits and a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third, Jenny Van Geertry (Mokena, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) put the Huskies up for good with an RDI double down the left field line. Jessica Rio (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield East) and Bekah Harnish (Maple Park, Ill./Burlington Central) each drove in a run to give NIU a 7-4 lead.
 
NIU was down early in the second game as well, as Valparaiso opened up a 2-0 lead on a 40-plus pitch first inning from Hayes. However, the Huskie offense came back with a run in the first and a pair in the second to take a 3-2 lead.
 
The Huskies tacked on a run in the fourth on an RBI single from Harnish and added an insurance run on an RBI double from Grable in the sixth. However the runs would not be needed. Frenz came in in relief of Hayes with a runner on first in the top of the sixth and shut down the Crusaders allowing just one hit and a walk.

NIU returns to the diamond Friday when NIU plays host to Eastern Michigan for a weekend set. Fans can watch all the action live on NIUTube and can follow live stats on NIUHuskies.com.
 
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