TAMPA, Fla. The Northern Illinois University benefited from a complete team effort in its 6-4 win over South Florida Sunday afternoon to cap the Bulls Invitational Sunday (March 5). Starting pitcher Claire Norred (Tipton, Ind./Tipton) logged her second win of the weekend while relief pitcher Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) earned her first save in the win.

The Huskies' (6-9) pitching staff combined for six strikeouts and just one walk through their 27 batters faced. The offense was equally as impressive; NIU totaled nine hits, three of which went for extra bases.

"The team came out today fired up to finish with a win against the host team," said head NIU coach Christina Sutcliffe. "We executed every part of our offense and Claire [Norred] did a fantastic job keeping the hitters off balance and allowing her defense to work for her."

NIU 6, USF 4
NIU struck first on the Bulls (9-10) in the third inning when Courtney James (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) scored an unearned run off Cara Cruthers' (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) fielder's choice. In the next at-bat, Caitlyn Shumaker (Bellefontaine,

Ohio/Bellefontaine) singled to the pitcher which helped Caitlyn Shumaker (Bellefontaine, Ohio/Bellefontaine) increase the Huskies' lead to 2-0.

In the away half of the fifth inning, Cruthers' first hit of the day gave NIU a 3-0 advantage as Stewart raced to home plate from her position on third base. Shumaker had a RBI double in the next at-bat and Sam Mallinder (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) sac flied to bolster the lead to five runs.

In the top of the sixth, NIU went up 6-0 when Kelly Walinski (Worth, Ill./Marist) knocked an RBI single to center field, scoring Ellis Erickson (Lutz, Fla./Freedom).

Norred was on fire in the circle, but a miscue in the sixth inning erased her soon-to-be shutout when USF's Meghan Sheehan hit a three RBI home run to left field.  

Stewart got the call from Sutcliffe to come in and pitch for Norred with six outs left in the game. Stewart struck out the side in the sixth, then rang up the leadoff batter in the seventh. The Bulls proceeded to homer again though, a solo shot to center, but Stewart was not fazed. The freshman forced a groundout and lineout in the ensuing two at-bats to end the game and record the first save of her collegiate career.  

NOTES

• NIU scored six runs off nine hits and had two errors
• The Bulls logged four runs off six hits and had two errors
• Norred (2-0) got her second win of the weekend in the circle and fanned four batters
• Stewart (2-5) notched her first save and struck out two Bulls
• Shumaker was 2-4 with two RBI to lead the Huskies' offense
• Cruthers was 1-4 with two RBI

UP NEXT
NIU plays its final road tournament before Mid-American Conference action next weekend (March 11-12) at the Saint Louis Opening Round Robin. The Huskies will play Bradley (7-11) and Saint Louis (4-11) back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday with games starting at 11 a.m. CT both days.