SEATTLE – The Northern Illinois University softball team wrapped up its trip to the Pacific Northwest losing a doubleheader to Seattle at Logan Field Tuesday.
The Huskies (9-13) lost the first game of the night 3-2, before falling to Seattle (15-9) 10-1 in five innings in game two.
With the game tied, 1-1, heading into the top of the seventh, the Huskies took a 2-1 lead on a two-out RBI single by Abby Howlett (South Elgin, Ill./St. Charles North). Unfortunately for NIU, the lead would be short-lived.
With runners on second and third with one out, the Redhawks' Carley Nance singled to left field to drive in the tying run. The next batter, Charise Silvan, singled to centerfield to drive in the winning run for Seattle.
Alex Frenz (Oakville, MO./Oakville) suffered the loss, allowing three runs on 12 hits, two walks and a hit-by-pitch batter. The HBP came back to haunt Frenz as that was how the tying run reached in the bottom of the seventh. Runs were hard to come by for the Huskie offense as it was outhit in the contest, 12-5.
The Huskie offense's struggles continued in game two as NIU could only muster two hits as the nightcap was all Redhawks. Seattle scored five runs in the fifth, four in the second and a run in the third. NIU's lone tally of the game came in the second when Sam Schmidt (Lombard, Ill./Willowbrook) scored when Dominique Greeno (Lacey, Wash./ North Thurston) reached on an error.
The Huskies return to action Thursday when NIU opens play in the Billiken Spring Tournament. NIU will face host St. Louis at 3:30 p.m. to open the tournament.
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