Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Northern Illinois University softball team split its doubleheader in the first day of the Cougar Classic at the College of Charleston Friday.
After falling to Longwood, 7-2, in their first game of the day, the Huskies (1-6) defeated the host Cougars, 5-3, in the second game.
"Obviously, coming out with the win was big for us," said NIU head softball coach
Christina Sutcliffe. "Hopefully we can grab the momentum and keep it going from there. "The difference is that we finally hit the ball and put it into play hard and made some plays when we needed it."
A fifth-inning three-run homer by junior
Jenny Van Geertry (Mokena, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) proved to be the difference in NIU's win over the College of Charleston. It was the first Huskie homer of the season and Van Geertry's third extra-base hit with an RBI this season.
"That was clutch," said Sutcliffe. "[We had] two-outs and was down by two as she came through and able to do it. Jenny is having a really great beginning of her season and she had two triples against Michigan State and now the home run; she is becoming a real catalyst for us."
The Huskies scored the first run of the game in the top of the first when senior
Alaynie Woollard (New Castle, Ind./New Castle) hit a sacrifice fly into right field to score lead-off hitter
Jessica Rio (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield East). In the top of the second, freshman
Katie Wingerter (Prospect Heights, Ill./Hersey) singled up the middle to drive in junior
Sam Schmidt (Lombard, Ill./Willowbrook) from second.
The Cougars scored a run in the bottom of the second and took the lead in the third with a pair of runs.
The Huskies saw impressive pitching in the win against the Cougars. Senior
Tara Thacker (Uniontown, Ohio / North Canton Hoover) hurled three innings of five-hit ball and gave up three runs. Junior
Alex Frenz (Oakville, Mo. / Oakville) came in in relief, pitching four innings of one-hit shutout softball. Frenz picked up the win for the Huskies; she is 1-1 this season.
"[The pitching] kept it together," said Sutcliffe. "Tara and Keegan did not have the best starts, but I think relief wise, we came in and did a great job. They are going to pitch by committee the whole year, so I would be surprised if you see too many complete games. We just have too good of a pitching staff."
NIU fell in the morning game to the Lancers of Longwood, 7-2. Longwood scored four of its seven runs in the first inning and added three in the fifth inning.
The Huskies cashed in their runs in the top of the sixth on a pair of RBI singles. Junior
Abby Howlett (South Elgin, Ill./St. Charles North) singled up the middle, scoring senior
Bekah Harnish (Maple Park, Ill./Burlington Central). Van Geertry then singled up the middle to score Woollard from third.
NIU returns to the diamond for day two of the Cougar Classic tomorrow as the Huskies take on in-state opponent DePaul at 9 a.m. and Iona at 1:30 p.m. All times are central.
-NIU-
