FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Northern Illinois University softball team split a pair of games on its first day of play in the FGCU Invitational hosted by Florida Gulf Coast at the FGCU Softball Complex on Friday.
 
NIU (1-1) dropped a 7-1 decision in the season opener with UCONN, before taking down homestanding FGCU, 4-1, in the second game.
 
"We are trying to find our rhythm collectively as a unit, both offensively and defensively," said NIU head coach Christina Sutcliffe. "We are concentrating on continuing to pound the process. All three parts of the game played well and held up under pressure in game two."
 
A four-run fifth inning proved to be the difference in the contest in the victory over the Eagles. FGCU jumped on top of the Huskies, 1-0, in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly. NIU responded in the top of the fifth with some solid hitting and taking advantage of a few Eagle errors.
 
After Bianca Barone reached on an error by the second baseman to start the inning, Amberly Rodriquez singled to third and advanced to second on a throwing error by the third baseman and pushing Izzy Smith, who came in to pinch run for Barone to third.
 
Mackenzie Mahy drove in the first run of the inning on a fielder's choice and Kelly Walinksi the second, when she also reached on a fielder's choice. Katie Keller gave the Huskies a three-run lead when she singled to left with two on and two outs. However, she was thrown out at second trying to stretch the single into a double to end the inning.
 
Emily Dato, who went four strong innings, allowing one run on four hits, was lifted after facing the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the fifth. Freshman Claire Norred picked up the save, pitching the final three frames. She kept FGCU off the scoreboard, allowing three hits, while striking out two.
 
UCONN's offense was too much for the NIU Huskies to overcome in the first game of the day as UCONN scored seven runs on 11 hits. UCONN took a 2-0 lead with a run in the first and another in the third. The big blow came in the fifth when UCONN put up a three spot.
 
An RBI double by Walinski in the bottom of the fifth provided the lone bright spot for NIU in the contest.
 
The Huskies return to the diamond for a pair of games. NIU will face Florida International at 10 a.m. and FGCU at 12:15 p.m. Both times Central.
 
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