CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The Northern Illinois University softball team split a pair of games to open the Governors Classic at Austin Peay University Friday afternoon and evening.

NIU defeated Bellarmine University 3-0 behind a pair of hits each from Kara Apato and Mackenzie Mahy, but fell 4-3 to host Austin Peay in the nightcap despite a record-setting performance from senior Katie Keller.

"We had two really hard games today," Huskies head coach Christina Sutcliffe said. "Bellarmine had a great game against us and we weren't able to crack through until late in the game, but it's good to be in these type of tight games because it's only going to help us once we get to conference season."

Needing two doubles to break the NIU school record for that category, Keller roped a pair against Austin Peay and had a run scored. She now has a career 57 doubles.

"That was fun for her that she was able to tie it and break it in the same game," Sutcliffe said. "She's always so patient at the plate and if it was going to happen to somebody I'm glad it happened for her because she deserves it."

Sophomore pitcher Emily Dato earned her first shutout of the season against Bellarmine as she worked 6 1/3 innings, striking out three batters in earning her second win of the season. Sophomore Claire Norred finished out the last 2/3 innings and picked up the save as she gave up only one hit.

"Emily pitched a really good game," Sutcliffe said. "But overall our patience was excellent in this game because sometimes when you're not scoring it gets really easy to struggle at the plate but I didn't see that."

NIU tallied all the offense Dato would need in the fifth when Kacie Quick roped a two-run single up the middle that scored both Mahy (double) and Amberly Rodriguez (walk), and Apato connected for a double down the left field line that plated Courtney James, who pinch ran for Quick.

In Game 2, the Huskies nearly overcame a 3-0 deficit when they trimmed it to 3-2 in the fourth when Mahy connected for a run-scoring double and Apato laced an RBI single up the middle, but Austin Peay responded with an insurance run in the fifth via a solo home run. NIU did tally another run in the seventh on an RBI single from Sam Mallinder, but didn't draw any closer.

Norred suffered the loss in the circle as she worked three innings and fanned one batter while walking one.

"Austin has a really good offensive team so we knew they were going to come out swinging," Sutcliffe said. "But unfortunately we just left too many runners on base and in scoring position. We just weren't able to get the big hit when we needed it and we fell a little short."

NIU (5-5) resumes action in the Governors Classic tomorrow when faces Bellarmine and Austin Peay again at 10:30 am and 1 pm, respectively.

"Hopefully we can flip the script when we face them again tomorrow," Sutcliffe said.
 
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