YPSILANTI, Mich. – The Northern Illinois University softball team completed its weekend sweep of Eastern Michigan taking the doubleheader over the Eagles at Varsity Field on Saturday.
The Huskies (17-26 8-8) defeated EMU, 9-1, in the first game, while coming back from two runs down to win the night cap, 4-3. This is the second Mid-American Conference sweep for the Huskies this season and the first since sweeping Buffalo at Mary. M. Bell Field on March 30-31.
"Overall it was a great weekend and we got back into the mix for the MAC," said NIU head softball coach
Christina Sutcliffe.
Eastern Michigan led NIU, 3-1, going into the top of the sixth of the second game of the day, but the Huskies came back to score three runs to take the lead and win the game.
With one out, junior
Sam Schmidt (Lombard, Ill. /Willowbrook) started the rally when she walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch. With two outs, senior
Bekah Harnish (Maple Park, Ill. /Burlington Central) singled scoring Schmidt from second.
Sophomore
Kayla Scaperrotta (Coral Springs, Fla. /Coral Springs Charter School) tied the game at 3-3 when she reached on an error to drive in Harnish, who had advanced to second on her single. Freshman
Kira Mickelson (Wheatland, Wis. /Westosha Central) doubled home the go-ahead run to complete the comeback.
"Kira [Mickelson] provided a spark off the bench and was clutch for us," said Sutcliffe.
In the first inning, Schmidt hit her second home run of the day to give the Huskies an early lead. Eastern Michigan answered right back with two runs in the first to take its first lead of the series, 2-1. The Eagles then added a run in the third to take a 3-1 lead.
Freshman
Mackenzie Bryan (Elwood, Ind. /Elwood) hurled four-and-one-third innings surrendering four hits on three runs. Senior
Keegan Hayes (Naperville, Ill. /Naperville Central) added two-and-two-thirds of shutout ball allowing only one hit. As a staff, the Huskies did not give up an earned run in the series sweep of Eastern Michigan.
"Our pitchers did well on the mound making great pitches when we needed them to," said Sutcliffe.
The Huskies kept up the offensive attack that was displayed in the Friday's game one win, scoring early and often in the first game of the day. The Huskies took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning when Scaperrotta singled home Woollard from second.
NIU continued its scoring ways tallying three runs in the third. With the bases loaded, Harnish singled up the middle and scored two runners giving the Huskies a 3-0 lead. With the bags still loaded, Mickelson coaxed a walk and scored Woollard from third.
The Huskies crossed two more runs over the plate in the fourth. Junior
Katie Lamich (Naperville, Ill. /Naperville Central) and Van Geertry singled to start the inning. After junior
Dominique Greeno (Lacey, Wash. /North Thurston) put down a sacrifice bunt, moving the runners up 60-feet, Schmidt doubled home two runners to extend the NIU lead to 6-0.
After Eastern Michigan answered scoring a run in the fourth, the Huskie offense was still on the prowl, tacking on three more runs in the top of the sixth. With runners on second and third, Schmidt hit a three-run home run giving the Huskies a 9-1 lead. It was Schmidt's third of the year and she finished the game 2-for-3 with a home run and five RBIs.
"Sam [Schmidt] did a great job putting the game out of reach with her three-run home run in the first game and then came back with another home run to get us going in game two," said Sutcliffe.
Junior
Alex Frenz (Oakville, Mo. /Oakville) and Hayes combined to only give up one run on six hits and striking out five batters. Frenz and Hayes also combined to allow 12 hits in 14-and-two-thirds innings of work in the series.
"Minus two innings in the second game, our defense played excellent throughout the whole series," said Sutcliffe.
The Huskies return home on Friday, April 27-28 against Western Michigan. The series will highlight celebrating 60 years of NIU softball and recognizing the 1988 World Series team.
–NIU–
