MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Led by two RBI doubles from Sam Mallinder (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North), the Northern Illinois University softball team took Game 1 7-3 over Central Michigan University in its Mid-American Conference doubleheader Sunday afternoon.

The Huskies fell 12-4 in six innings in the second game despite staking an early 4-0 lead after plating a run in the first inning and three in the fourth – highlighted by a run-scoring single from Courtney James (Fishers, Ind./Fishers).

"In the first game we did a nice job scoring early," Huskies head coach Christina Sutcliffe said. "We stayed patient at the plate and executed our game plan. In the second game things kind of got away from us a little bit."

In Game 1 Central Michigan took a 2-0 lead in the second after a pair of run-scoring doubles, but the Huskies responded with three in the third inning. Senior Kara Apato (Oak Lawn, Ill./Marist) reached on an error, advanced to second on Mackenzie Mahy's (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln Way West) sacrifice and third on a passed ball before coming home on Mallinder's bunt double. Bianca Barone (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem) then plated both Mallinder and Katie Keller (Geneva, Ill./Geneva), who walked, on a two-out, two-run single to center field.

"Central's pitcher struggled a little with control early on and we did a nice job of playing off the high pitch," Sutcliffe said. "We did a nice job of being selective in hitting our pitches while we stayed away from hers."

The Chippewas countered in the bottom half of the third to tie the score on a solo home run to left field, but again NIU came back with a four-run fifth. Mallinder roped an RBI double and Kacie Quick (Bloomington, Ill./Normal West), Barone and Apato all connected for RBI singles to give the Huskies what ended up being the final verdict.

"Our defense also did a really nice job today," Sutcliffe said. "Even in the second game before things got out of hand there were a couple of really close plays that could have gone either way and unfortunately they didn't go our way, but that's part of the game."  

Junior pitcher Delaney Ostrowski (Geneseo, Ill./Geneseo) went the distance for her third complete game of the year as she didn't give up a walk while striking out a batter to earn her second win for the Huskies (10-19, 4-10), who step out of conference play to travel to Valparaiso University for a 3 p.m. contest with the Beacons Wednesday.

"Delaney did well in limiting her pitch counts," Sutcliffe said. "She did a nice job of keeping them off balance. But things don't get any easier for us as we now we go to Valpo. So we'll watch some film and prepare for them this week, and hopefully the weather will hold up."

-NIU-