Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BOCA RATON Fla. – The Northern Illinois University softball lost its doubleheader on the second day of play at the Florida Atlantic University "First-Pitch" Classic in Boca Raton, Fla. on Saturday.
 
"We need to figure out how to have better at bats as well as get off the field on defense when given the opportunity," said NIU head softball coach Christina Sutcliffe."
 
Michigan State hit a walk-off two run double to defeat the Huskies, 5-3, in the first game of the day, before falling to Ohio State, 10-2, in the nightcap.
 
With the bases loaded and one out, Michigan State's Lea Forester came to the plate and hit a double to right centerfield to score two runs and give the Spartans the win. 
 
The Spartans struck first In the bottom of the first inning as senior Keegan Hayes (Naperville, Ill./ Naperville North) walked Spartans lefty Ebonee Echols with the bases loaded to score the opening run of the game, 1-0. 
 
The Huskies responded in the top of the second. An RBI triple by Jenny Van Geertry (Mokena, Ill./ Lincoln-Way East) to right centerfield drove in freshman Katie Wingerter (Prospect Heights, Ill./ Hersey), who led off the inning with a walk, and tied the game at 1-1.
 
NIU took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth, again on an RBI triple by Van Geertry. After a Sam Schmidt (Lombard, Ill./ Willowbrook) reached on a one-out single to left field right, Van Geertry tripled to right center scoring Schmidt.  Van Geertry went 2-for-2 in the game with two triples, two RBIs, and a walk. 
 
The Spartans retook the lead with a pair of  runs in the bottom of the fifth to make the score, 3-2.  The Huskies answered right back in the top of the sixth inning. Junior Jessica Rio (Plainfield, Ill./Planfield East) tied the game at 3-3 when she roped a two-out single to score Schmidt. 
 
"We showed some definite improvement from yesterday and had a great battle with Michigan State," said Sutcliffe. 
 
 
The second game of the day was all Ohio State. The Buckeyes scored seven out of their 10 runs in the first three innings.  The Huskies scored all of their runs in the second inning. Ohio State jumped out to a 5-0 lead with a pair of runs in the first and three in the second.
 
Senior Alaynie Woollard (New Castle, Ind./New Castle) scored the Huskie's first run of the game on a wild pitch by Buckeyes' pitcher Morgan Ray.  Junior Abby Howlett (South Elgin, Ill./St. Charles North) advanced to third on the play.  Freshman Kira Mickelson (Wheatland, Wis./ Wheatland) skied a sacrifice fly out to right field to score Howlett.
 
Ohio State came back with a pair of runs in the top of the third, two more in the sixth and another in the seventh to cap the scoring.
 
The Huskies conclude the FAU "First-Pitch" Classic on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. CT against Bethune Cookman.
 
–NIU–