DEKALB, Ill. – Two days after losing a walk-off home run, the Northern Illinois University softball team won the nightcap of a twinbill with Western Michigan on a walk-off homer at Mary M. Bell Field Friday.
NIU (9-20, 4-10) dropped the first game of the day, 8-5, but battled the Broncos (9-19, 5-9) in game two.
Western Michigan starter Reily Blackwell was dealing from the pitcher's circle, striking out nine in the second game of the day. Staked with a one-run lead after scoring in the fifth, she entered the bottom of the seventh allowing one hit through the first six innings.
"We talked after the DePaul game once it gets down to that seventh inning we need to be more patient with our at bats, work the count and get on via the walk or whatever," NIU head coach
Christina Sutcliffe said. "Our hitters just got in hitters counts because they were so patient. They were chasing that rise ball early and in that last inning they were able to lay off it and that was the difference in getting in hitter's counts."
Kelly Walinski coaxed a lead-off walk, only the second free pass of the game, to start the rally.
Katie Keller, who leads the league with 13 doubles, laid down a perfect bunt to move Walinski into scoring position for
Carley Goetschius.
"Keller was selfless, got the bunt down, got her over and gave us a chance there," Sutcliffe said. "I asked her what she wanted to do because I'm going to trust that kid over anything and she flat out said I want to bunt for a hit and move the runner along. That's what it's all about, trusting your teammates and you don't have to get it done all of the time."
Goetschius blasted NIU's second hit of the game over the left field fence to score Walinski and give the Huskies the win. It was Goetschuis' team-leading sixth of the season.
"Carley's showing a lot of power this year," she said. "At DePaul she hit a pretty big home run for us, then obviously today. That's the difference when you can change the game in one swing."
Huskie starter
Claire Norred was very effective for NIU, allowing one run on four hits and two base on balls, and pitched around three Huskie errors. She pitched out of a jam in the fifth.
After the Broncos took a 1-0 lead, they had the bases loaded with two outs. She coaxed a groundball to Walinski at shortstop who went to third for the force out and end the threat.
The big inning doomed the Huskies in the first game of the day. The Broncos put up a six-spot in the top of the fourth to take a 7-0 lead. NIU rallied in the bottom of the sixth, capitalizing on a pair of Bronco errors, with four runs.
WMU added a run in the sixth and the Huskies came back with a run in the seventh, but failed to pull out the win.
Due to expected rain in the DeKalb area Saturday, the Huskies and Western Michigan will play a doubleheader Sunday at Mary M. Bell Field. Fans can watch the games on NIUTube or via live stats on NIUHuskies.com.
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