CARBONDALE, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University softball team split its first two games of the Saluki Invitational at Charlotte West Stadium Friday.
 
The Huskies (6-11) avenged an earlier loss to Western Illinois with a 4-3 victory to open the tournament before falling to host Southern Illinois, 11-1, in five innings.
 
An RBI single by Anne Allen with a runner at second and one out proved to be the difference in the Huskies win over the Leathernecks.
 
After falling behind 2-0 after the Leathernecks scored a run in the second and another in the third, NIU took the lead with a three spot in the bottom of the fourth. Sophomore Bianca Barone delivered the big blow in the inning.
 
With the bases loaded and one out, Barone hit a bases clearing double to the gap in left center to put NIU up, 3-2.
 
The Leathernecks tied the game with a run in the top of the seventh before Allen's heroics in the bottom of the frame. Kara Apato began the inning with a one-out double setting the table for Allen's RBI single.
 
Allen went 2-for-4 with an RBI in the game, while Baron went 1-for-3 with three RBIs.
 
Freshman Dayton Elliott picked up her first career victory, allowing three runs, two earned, scattering seven hits and walking four.
 
"It was a total team win," said NIU head coach Christina Sutcliffe. "Dayton had a great first career start, while our defense had some key stops with two outs. Bianca's hit with the bases loaded was clutch.
 
Game two was all Salukis, outhitting NIU, 10-4 in the contest. Apato tallied half those hits with a perfect 2-for-2 day at the plate.
 
NIU returns to the diamond Saturday for a single game with IUPUI. First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m. CT. Livestats will be available on NIUHuskies.com.
 
-NIU-