FORT MYERS, Fla. – Defense played a key role for the Northern Illinois University softball team as the Huskies split their two games on the second day of action at the FGCU Invitational hosted by Florida Gulf Coast at the FGCU Softball Complex on Saturday.
NIU (2-2) scored a 1-0 victory over Florida International to open the day before suffering a 5-3 setback in a rematch with host Florida Gulf Coast.
The Huskies overcame three errors and received a strong performance in the pitcher's circle from
Dayton Elliott to earn their second win of the season in the first game of the day. Elliott threw a complete game four-hit shutout and pitched out of trouble early in the game.
FIU loaded the bases in the first inning when Kayla Whitehead reached on an error. However, Elliott got out of the jam when Briana Hill hit into a double play to end the threat. The Panthers had runners at the corners with two outs in the top of the second when Tori Jones singled to shortstop and Makayla Garcia advanced to third on another Huskie error.
NIU scored the lone run of the game in the bottom of the third. Kelly Wallinski reached on a two-out double to left field. She was driven home by
Katie Keller, who reached on an error by the FIU and got herself thrown out in a rundown, allowing Wallinski to score.
"Dayton buckled down and got out of some tough situations to finish her first complete game of the year," said NIU head coach
Christina Sutcliffe. "It was a great team win. The second game had some high points and we battled to the end."
A four-run FGCU first, aided by three NIU errors, proved to be too much for the Huskies to overcome in the rematch with the Eagles. The bottom of the first got off to an ominous start as the leadoff hitter reached via an error. FGCU tacked on another run in the second to take a 5-0 advantage.
However, NIU did not give up, fighting the next seven innings. The Huskies got on the board with a run in the third on a RBI single by Keller. A two-out, two-run double by Wallinski pulled NIU to within two runs with the tying run coming to the plate. Unfortunately for the Huskies, Keller grounded out ending the rally.
NIU concludes play at the FGCU Invitational Sunday morning when the Huskies take on FIU. First pitch is set for 8 a.m. CT.
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