HOUSTON – Runs were hard to come by as the Northern Illinois University softball team split a pair of games on day two of the Houston Challenge hosted by Houston Saturday.
The Huskies (7-7) earned a 1-0 victory over Incarnate Word in their first action of the day before falling to Houston, 8-0, in five innings.
A two-out RBI single by Kira Mickelson (Wheatland, Wis./Westosha Central) in the fourth inning was all the offense NIU leaded against the Cardinals. With runners on first and second, Mickelson's single drove in Jenny Van Geertry (Mokena, Ill./Lincoln-Way East).
Alex Frenz (Oakville, Mo./Oakville), who allowed one hit through the first three innings, made the run hold up. The Huskie senior scattered four hits the rest of the way to give NIU its first win of the weekend.
"We just couldn't get our offense going today," said NIU head coach Christina Sutcliffe. "Alex had a great complete game shutout and Kira came through clutch."
The big inning once again proved costly for the Huskies as Houston, which was leading 2-0 after four innings, plated six in the bottom of the fifth to win the game.
The Huskies conclude play in the Houston Challenge tomorrow with a rematch with the Cardinals. First pitch is set for 9:30 a.m.
-NIU-