AKRON, OHIO – The Northern Illinois University softball team's incredible run in the 2018 Mid-American Conference Softball Tournament came to an end when the No. 7 seed Huskies fell to No. 1 seed Ohio, 2-0, in the MAC Championship game at Firestone Stadium on Saturday.
"They fought throughout this entire tournament," said NIU head softball coach
Christina Sutcliffe. "I think they made it farther than anybody, but Huskie fans they could. This team has a lot of heart and I have said that all year long."
Ohio (38-15, 20-3) did all its damage in the second inning on a two-run home run by right fielder Michaela Dorsey. The Huskies (24-32, 11-11), who is the first No. 7 seed to advance to the MAC Championship game, had a scoring chance late in the top of the sixth inning. With one out, junior pinch-hitter
Abby Howlett (South Elgin, Ill. /St. Charles North) singled. After a fly out, junior
Dominique Greeno (Lacey, Wash. /North Thurston) walked putting runners at first and second with two outs. However,
Sam Schmidt (Lombard, Ill. /Willowbrook) flied out to end the inning.
Junior
Alex Frenz (Oakville, Mo. /Oakville) pitched well, surrendering two runs on five hits in six innings of work.
"We did not have our best ballgame yesterday against them," said Sutcliffe. "I think we just wanted to come out today and show them that we are better than them. Unfortunately, one swing was the difference there."
The Huskies defeated the No. 2 seed Ball State Cardinals, 4-3, to advance to the MAC Championship game in the first game of the day.
The Huskies raced out to a 3-0 lead before the Cardinals even came up to bat, scoring all three runs with two outs. With one out, Greeno ripped a double down the left field line. After a ground out, senior
Alaynie Woollard (New Castle, Ind. /New Castle) kept the inning alive by drawing a walk. With runners at first and second, senior
Bekah Harnish (Maple Park, Ill. /Burlington Central) drove in two runs with a double down the left field line making the score 2-0.
With a runner on second, sophomore
Kayla Scaperrotta (Coral Springs, Fla. /Coral Springs Charter School) reached on a drop third strike. On the play, Harnish scored from second and Scaperrotta advanced to second on the throw home, making the score 3-0.
Ball State broke through in the bottom of the third inning. Cardinal center fielder Kennedy Wynn reached on an error by Harnish and left fielder Haley Dominique scored from second. The Huskies respond in the top of the fourth when freshman
Kira Mickelson (Wheatland, Wis. /Westosha Central) reached third on an error by the right fielder. After a ground out, junior Jenny Van Geetry (Mokena, Ill. /Lincoln-Way East) laid down a squeeze bunt driving in sophomore
Kalalaelisa Toomalatai (Imperial Beach, Calif. /Otay Ranch), who entered as a pinch runner, from third making the score 4-1 Huskies.
In the bottom of the fourth, Ball State had a chance to try to close the gap on the Huskies. Ball State loaded the bases on a single, an error, and a walk. With one out, Frenz struck out catcher Oliva Huffman and forced Dominique to ground out to end the threat.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Cardinals cut into the Huskies' lead with a pair of runs, but the inning could have been much worse. With one out and the bases loaded, freshman hurler
Mackenzie Bryan (Elwood, Ind. /Elwood) struck out lead-off hitter Maddy Labrador and forced Huffman to ground out to end the inning and NIU held a 4-3 advantage.
In the sixth, Ball State loaded the bases for the second consecutive inning. After a ground out, Ball State drew a walk. After a fly out to make it two outs, Ball State came abroad on a single and an error to load the bases. Bryan then struck out shortstop Hailey Demnianiuk to get out of the jam.
"They are gritty," said Sutcliffe. "They were way better than their record indicates and I think they showed that this weekend."
For their performances this weekend, the MAC recognized Van Geertry and Frenz as a part of the 2018 MAC Championship All-Tournament team.
-NIU-
