DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University softball team overcame an early deficit to edge the University of Toledo 9-8 in Game 2, splitting a doubleheader with the Rockets Friday afternoon in Mid-American Conference play.

The Huskies were out-slugged 12-5 in a 14-4 loss in the opener, but it didn't damper their spirits as they earned their fourth win in the last six games.

"We did a nice job of attacking their pitcher early and often," Huskies head coach Christina Sutcliffe said. "It's kind of a big deal when they put up two in the first inning and we thought 'here we go again' but we punched back with three of our own so that was a huge momentum builder."

After the Rockets took advantage on a two-run home run in the first, the Huskies countered in the bottom half when both Courtney James (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) and Avery Carnahan (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) drove in a run on bases-loaded walks and James stole home plate on a perfectly executed triple steal with Amberly Rodriguez (Romeoville, Ill./Plainfield) and Carnahan.

Toledo trimmed the deficit to 4-3 in the fourth on a sacrifice fly, but NIU padded its lead with a sac fly RBI from Kara Apato (Oak Lawn, Ill./Marist) in the bottom half. A four-run fifth inning then put the Huskies in command at 9-4 as Bianca Barone (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem) connected for a solo home run, Mackenzie Mahy (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln Way West) laced a run-scoring single to center field and Katie Keller (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) drove in a pair on a double to right center.

"We did a nice job running the bases and were able to take a couple of extra bases off them," Sutcliffe said. "But in general we had better at bats in this game and were much more patient than in the first game."

Toledo nearly overcame the five-run hole in the seventh as it responded with a two-run double, a run-scoring single and a bases-loaded walk, but junior Kelly Walinski (Worth, Ill./Marist) ended the game with an unassisted double play.

"We were able to do enough to get one better," Sutcliffe said, "and we showed some strong resiliency in the end. That was a heck of play by Kelly to end the game so kudos to her."

In Game 1, Keller highlighted the offense with a two-run home run in the third that put NIU in front at 3-2, but Toledo plated three in the sixth and six in the seventh to earn the victory. NIU closes out the series tomorrow afternoon with a 12 pm single game.

"We're just going to have to figure out their lefty," Sutcliffe said. "Unfortunately we couldn't do much against her today but we need to watch some film and see how we can execute better."

-NIU-