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Kelly Walinski
Scott Walstrom, NIU
4
Northern Illinois NIU 15-17, 6-6 MAC
9
Winner Kent State KENTST 9-21, 4-4 MAC
Northern Illinois NIU
15-17, 6-6 MAC
4
Final
9
Kent State KENTST
9-21, 4-4 MAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Northern Illinois NIU 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 4 5 2
Kent State KENTST 0 0 3 0 4 2 X 9 9 0

W: KELLY, Anilese (3-8) L: Cassell, Lily (3-7)

Game Recap: Softball |

NIU Loses Back-And-Forth Affair With Kent State

BEREA, Ohio. – After four lead changes, the Northern Illinois University softball team fell 9-4 to Kent State Friday afternoon at the BW Softball Field.

"We didn't execute our game today," said head NIU coach Christina Sutcliffe. "We just need to come out tomorrow, like the team we know we can be, and bounce back."

KSU 9, NIU 4
Kelly Walinski (Worth, Ill./Marist) kicked things off with a bang for NIU (15-17, 6-6 MAC), knocking a two RBI double to left center, scoring Courtney James (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) who was planted on second base after walking and stealing second.

Starting Huskie pitcher Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) dealt three strikeouts before Kent State (9-21, 4-4 MAC) found the zone, logging back-to-back homers to take a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third inning. Stewart ended the barrage with a K to give NIU's offense some momentum heading into the fourth.  

Walinski's hot hand started the action after sending a solo bomb over the left field fence to cut into the Golden Flashes' lead. Two at-bats later, Kiley Conner (St. John, Ind./Lake Central) dug in a delivered an RBI single through the left side to score Stewart who reached after walking.

Then, Conner scored when Cara Cruthers (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) hit a double to left field, giving the Huskies a 4-3 edge.

Later in the bottom of the fifth inning, Kent State regained its lead with four runs off three hits. The home team plated two more runs in the sixth to take a 9-4 lead, which they never relinquished.

Notes
  • NIU scored four runs off five hits and had two errors
  • Kent State scored nine runs off nine hits and had no errors
  • Walinski was a perfect 2-2 at the dish with a team-high two RBI
  • Stewart was 1-2 in the batter's box
    • In the circle, she racked up four strikeouts
  • Conner and Cruthers had one hit and one RBI each
  • Sam Mallinder (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) and Trinity Jones Estrada (Sylmar, Calif./John F. Kennedy) led on defense with four putouts a piece
Up Next
The two teams will conclude the series tomorrow with a doubleheader. Start times are set for noon and 2 p.m. CT.  
 
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