ST. LOUIS – The Northern Illinois University softball team won its third straight sweeping its doubleheader on the second day of the Billikin Spring Tournament Friday.
The Huskies (12-13) defeated Omaha, 2-1 to open the day before defeating Northern Colorado, 8-3, in game two.
"It was nice to see our offense break through and carry us this afternoon," said NIU head coach Christina Sutcliffe. "For Hannah's first career collegiate hit to be a walk off is a pretty special moment."
NIU took the first game of the day in walk-off fashion. With the scored tied in the bottom of the seventh and a runner on second, freshman Hannah Goerke (South Bend, Ind./St. Joseph) doubled down the left field line to score Kara Apato (Oak Lawn, Ill./Marist) for the game winner.
Apato began the rally with a single up the middle and was pushed to second on a sacrifice bunt by Abby Howlett (South Elgin, Ill./St. Charles North).
The Mavericks opened the scoring with a run in the top of the third. Jenny Van Geertry (Mokena, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) tied the game, 1-1, with her seventh home run of the season with a blast over the left field fence.
Alex Frenz (Oakville, Mo./Oakville) was strong in the circle, allowing one run on three hits and a walk, while striking out three.
The Huskies scored first in the second game of the day. With runners first and second with one out, Bianca Barone (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem) gave NIU a 2-0 lead with a triple to right center.
After Northern Colorado responded with a run in the bottom of the first, Kira Mickelson (Wheatland, Wis./Westosha Central) homered to left center to put the Huskies up by two, 3-1, in the top of the fourth. Anne Allen (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way North) tacked on another run in the top of the fifth on a RBI single to center field.
NIU put the game away in the sixth inning putting up a four spot to take an 8-1 advantage. With the bases loaded and two outs, Kayla Scaperrotta (Coral Springs, Fla./Coral Springs Charter School), who came in to pinch hit Amberly Rodriquez (Romeoville, Ill./Plainfield), ripped a double down the left field line to score two. Allen followed that up with a single up the middle to drive in two more.
Northern Colorado added a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning, but that would be it.
Mackenzie Bryan (Elwood, Ind./Elwood) was effective in the circle, allowing two runs on six hits in six-plus innings of work to improve to 7-6.
The Huskies conclude play in the Billikin Spring Tournament Friday when NIU faces Detroit Mercy at 10 a.m. and Southeast Missouri State at 12 p.m. Both times Central.
-NIU-
