AKRON, OHIO. – The Northern Illinois University softball team advanced to the semifinals of the 2018 Mid-American Conference Softball Tournament defeating University of Toledo, 10-2, in five innings at Firestone Stadium on Thursday.
 
"We obviously have been struggling the last couple seasons against Toledo, so to be able to win and to beat them at the MAC Tournament and in that fashion was definitely a big deal for us," said NIU head softball coach Christina Sutcliffe.  
 
The Huskies (23-30, 11-11) took the early lead.  In the first, junior Jenny Van Geertry (Mokena, Ill. /Lincoln-Way) led off with a walk and junior Dominique Greeno (Lacey, Wash. /North Thurston) singled.  With runners on first and second, junior Sam Schmidt (Lombard, Ill. /Willowbrook) reached on a fielder's choice forcing Van Geertry out at third.  Senior Alaynie Woollard (New Castle, Ind. /New Castle) then singled to load the bases. 
 
With the bases loaded and one out, senior Bekah Harnish (Maple Park, Ill. /Burlington Central) reached on an error by the third baseman scoring Greeno.   Sophomore Kayla Scaperrotta (Coral Springs, Fla. /Coral Springs Charter) then singled to score Schmidt.  With the bases still loaded, sophomore Anne Allen (Frankfort, Ill. /Lincoln-Way Central) grounded into a fielder's choice to drive in Woollard and give the Huskies an early 3-0 lead. 
 
NIU sent eight to the plate in the third and added to their lead.  Schmidt led off with a single and Woollard followed up with a four-pitch walk.  With two runners on, Harnish reached on a throwing error by the first baseman, scoring Schmidt from second and advancing Woollard to third.   Harnish was caught in a rundown in between first and second on the play, allowing Woollard to score and extend the Huskie lead to 5-0.  
The Rockets answered in the bottom of the third when second-baseman Kylie Norwood doubled home catcher Kaitlyn Bergman.  Toledo struck again in the fourth when shortstop Megan Choate hit a sacrifice fly to deep centerfield driving in third baseman Katie Cozy to cut the Huskie lead to 5-2.   
 
NIU put the game away in the fifth.  Woollard and Harnish reached on a single and a walk, respectively, to lead off the fifth.  After Scaperrotta moved the runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, Allen grounded out driving in Woollard.  After the next two batters walked to load the bases, Van Geertry smashed a grand slam to left field giving the Huskies a 10-2 lead.  It was Van Geertry's seventh home run of the season.    
 
"I was just going up there and just to make contact," said Van Geertry.  "It just so happened to be a home run."
 
The Huskies' leadoff batter reached base in four of the five innings played.  Van Geertry finished the game going 2-for-3 with four RBIs.  Woollard followed up with a 2-for-3 day of her own, becoming the first Huskie since junior Abby Howlett (South Elgin, Ill. St. Charles North) to steal home.  Howlett stole home on April 28, 2017 against Eastern Michigan.     
 
"We have been just pounding the ball into the ground and make them to play some defense," said Sutcliffe.  "Obviously, when you can get the momentum early in the game, it's big.  I think the biggest thing is us coming back in the fifth when they were kind of creeping back in the game, we grabbed the momentum back."
 
Junior Alex Frenz (Oakville, Mo. /Oakville) pitched a complete game surrendering five runs on two hits.  In the MAC Tournament, Frenz has posted a 0.58 ERA, allowing three runs on 10 hits in 12 innings of work.  The Huskie offense gave her run support early and often. 
 
"Obviously, when we get ahead in the first inning, it is a relaxing thing for me, so I can relax and do whatever I need to do to make it happen," said Frenz.  "We did another great job and it is crazy to me how good we are doing."
 
The Huskies continue their journey through the MAC Tournament against No. 1 Ohio on Friday at 2:30 p.m. Central Time. 
 
­-NIU-