DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University softball team split its doubleheader with Miami by identical 4-3 scores at Mary M. Bell Field Saturday.
The Huskies (17-20, 4-6) rallied for a walk-off winner in game one against Miami (20-13, 5-3) but had their seventh-inning rally come up short in game two.
Anne Allen (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way North) was the hero once again this homestand for the Huskies in the first game of the day. With runners at first and second with two outs, and NIU trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh, the Huskie infielder blasted a bases-clearing double to drive in Jessica Rio (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield East) for the tying run and the game winner, Jenny Van Geertry (Mokena, Ill./Lincoln-Way East).
"Anne's been hot of late," said NIU head coach Christina Sutcliffe. "So that's been nice to see. I think she was just trying to get a pitch she could drive. She's pretty feistly, so we want her in that situation.
"This has been two weekends in a row she's been our caboose for us getting it done at the end for us. She's not going to do it every time for us, but she's been clutch for us."
Alex Frenz (Oakville, Mo./Oakville) turned in a solid effort in the circle picking up the win. The Huskie senior allowed three runs, two earned, while striking out five. She never surrendered the big inning, pitching out of trouble in the first, third and fourth innings.
"She did a nice job making a pitch when she needed to," Sutcliffe said. "That's the thing. If we can keep those innings at one run and get off the field, that's what we've been trying to preach."
After Miami opened a 2-0 lead with a run each in the third and fourth innings, NIU tied the game with a run in the bottom of the fourth on a Kira Mickelson (Wheatland, Wis./Westosha) homer, and in fifth on a RBI single by Sam Schmidt (Lombard, Ill./Willowbrook).
NIU outhit the RedHawks, 9-5, in game two of the day, unfortunately for the Huskies, a three-run Miami fourth proved too much to overcome.
With Miami leading 4-0 with two on and no outs in the top of the sixth, Courtney Viestra came in to pitch in relief of starter Taylor Rathe. Kayla Scaperrotta, who came in to pinch hit for Abby Howlett (South Elgin, Ill./St. Charles North), dumped a single to drive in Katie Keller (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) for NIU's first run of the day.
With runners at second and third and two down, Katie Lamich (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central), cut the RedHawk lead in half when she singled through the left side to drive in Rio.
After Mackenzie Bryan (Elwood, Ind./Elwood) held Miami off the scoreboard in the top of the seventh, NIU tried to mount its comeback. Schmidt started the rally when she reached on single to center. Van Geertry then ripped a double down the line to score Amberly Rodriguez (Romeoville, Ill./Plainfield), who came into pinch run for Schmidt, all the way from first.
Van Geertry stood at second with no outs and represented the tying run. Unfortunately for the Huskies, should would be stranded there as the next three batters were retired ending the Huskie rally.
Aside from the fourth, Bryan turned in another solid outing, allowing five hits and three walks while striking out eight.
The Huskies travel to Ball State Wednesday to complete their series with the Cardinals. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. CT. Fans can follow the action through live stats on NIUHuskies.com or watch on ESPN+.
-NIU-
