Grant Montgomery
Student Intern
CONWAY, S.C. – The Northern Illinois University softball team split a pair of games in their second day at the Residence Inn Battle at the Beach Saturday.
The Huskies (4-5) kicked off day two by winning an exhilarating match-up against Jacksonville State, 16-15, in 10 innings before suffering a 15-2 setback to host Coastal Carolina in five.
In a game that tallied a total of 44 hits between the two teams, including a school record 23 hits for NIU, and took almost four hours to complete, the Huskies came out on top over the Gamecocks when
Katie Keller hit a walk-off single to left field that scored
Kelly Walinski. Keller was fantastic in the contest, tallying four hits and scoring three runs.
Heading into the last of the 10th inning, NIU found themselves down a run.
Amberly Rodriguez was placed on second base to begin the inning, who then came around to score on an RBI double by Walinski. This ultimately set the table for Keller to walk things off and secure the victory for the Huskies.
"That is the hardest battled game I've been a part of," said NIU head coach
Christina Sutcliffe. "These Huskies never give up, down to the last out. I couldn't be more proud of their attitude, effort and desire today."
It did not take long for the game's action to get started, as Jacksonville State put up two runs in the top of the first frame. The Huskies then tied the game at two when Keller and
Anne Allen scored on a two RBI single by
Kira Mickelson.
After a quiet second inning by both teams, the third inning was full of runs on both sides. The Gamecocks scored seven runs in their half, while the Huskies responded with six of their own. The big blow in the inning was a two out, two-run double by
Bianca Barone.
Heading into the fifth inning, with the score 11-9 in favor of the Gamecocks, the Huskies erased the deficit by scoring four runs in the frame. Allen began the inning with a lead-off single, which was then followed by a Keller double which set the table for
Carley Goetschius. The Huskie sophomore sent a three run homer out to right field. Mickelson would add on a solo shot of her own, putting the Huskies up by two, 13-11.
Unfortunately, NIU was unable to secure the victory in seven innings. Jacksonville State scored two runs in the seventh inning, tying the game at 13.
In extra innings, international softball rules took effect which meant that teams began the inning with a runner placed on second base to start each inning. This made for more runs being scored in the game, as both teams put up one run in the eighth inning and forcing the contest to 10 innings.
After playing the three hour and 42-minute contest with Jacksonville State, NIU faced off against the host Chanticleers for game two of the day.
The Huskies took a 1-0 lead when Apato scored from third on a wild pitch. That would be one of the few highlights for the Huskies on the day. Coastal Carolina responded with a four-spot in the bottom of the first, three in second, two in the third and six in the fourth.
Mickelson hit her second homer of the day with a solo blast in the top of the third.
NIU completes play in the Battle at the Beach Sunday morning at 8:15 a.m. CT with a rematch against Delaware State. Live scoring will be available on NIUHuskies.com.
-NIU-
