DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University softball team ended its 2023 campaign with a doubleheader split against Bowling Green Saturday afternoon at Mary M. Bell Field. The Huskies rocketed off 16 runs to take game two-of-three but were edged 4-2 in the series closer by the Falcons.
"That many runs were nice to see, we knew we were capable of that kind of offense all year - we were waiting to unleash it," said head NIU coach
Christina Sutcliffe. "So, a lot of contributors in that first game, I just think we gave it our all in the first one and didn't leave any for the second. But this group definitely moved the needle forward and we're looking to get back to work as soon as possible,"
Game One | NIU 16, BGSU 1
After Bowling Green scored its first and only run of the ballgame in the first inning, NIU exploded for a 10-run bottom of the first inning.
Kelly Walinski (Worth, Ill./Marist) got things going with an RBI single before six more hits helped Huskies cross home plate left-and-right, including back-to-back two RBI doubles from
Cara Cruthers (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) and
Caitlyn Shumaker (Bellefontaine, Ohio/Bellefontaine). The barrage ended shortly after
Courtney James (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) raced home on a wild pitch, giving NIU its 10-1 advantage.
The bombardment resumed in the third inning as the Huskies posted six more runs.
Sam Mallinder (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) belted an RBI single before
Kiley Conner (St. John, Ind./Lake Central) drilled a two RBI double through the right side to make the score 13-1.
Later in the same inning,
Madison Mathews (Yuma, Ariz./Cibola) and
Izzy Smith (Elmhurst, Ill./York) pinch hit and delivered a two RBI double and an RBI single, respectively, making the lead 16-1.
After Conner entered the circle for starting pitcher
Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East), the NIU defense secured the win in the fifth inning via run-rule.
Notes
- NIU scored 16 runs off 13 hits and had no errors
- BGSU scored one run off four hits and had two errors
- The team's 16 runs were a season-high, and the most in a single game since NIU beat Jacksonville State 16-15 in 2020
- Conner fanned two batters and was 2-4 at the dish
- Her three RBI tied her career-high
- Matthews and Cruthers also tied their career-high in RBI with two each
- Stewart struck out two batters en route to her 13th win as the pitcher of record
- Only one Huskie struck out in the game
Game Two | NIU 2, BGSU 4
NIU had a 2-1 lead through the first two innings after Mallinder's RBI single to right and Conner's RBI, but a three-run third inning from BGSU helped it take control of game two.
The Huskies logged two hits through the remainder of the game with Cruthers' single in the bottom of the fourth and Conner's double in the bottom of the sixth, but no runs were scored as NIU fell 4-2 in the season closer.
It was a tearful goodbye as NIU bid farewell to its departing seniors, but Sutcliffe is confident that her team has a bright future as 14 Huskies with starting experience will be returning in 2024.
"Our senior definitely left this place better than when they got here, that's always our message. But for the returners, it's all about sustaining success and what that looks like. Everybody can have a good year here and there, but how do you sustain that success? That takes dedication and intent in everything that you're doing so, that's what we're trying to instill in them."
