DeKALB, Ill.—Splitting action on senior day, the Northern Illinois University softball team competed against the University of Toledo in a doubleheader. The Huskies (25-16, 18-7 MAC) took the opening game 11-5 before falling to the Rockets (15-35, 11-16 MAC) 7-6 in nine innings.
NIU has won seventh of their conference series this season and recorded the most wins in conference play since the 2000 season.
In the second game,
Alana Powell (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood Academy) tied the NIU single-game record for doubles, hitting three while going a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate. Powell also scored three runs for the Huskies
Lia Nance (Oceanside, Calif/Oceanside) went 3-of-4 at the plate, scored twice, and drove in two runs for the Huskies. She was one of six Huskies to have a multi-hit game in the first game.
"They had a tremendous fight (in the game). The resiliency of that seventh inning with Mia coming in to get that hit. We gave ourselves opportunities and chances," said NIU head coach Kathryn Gleason. "I'm proud of the resilience all year and what they've done. We'll celebrate the seniors today, but we've got to get back to work. We got to keep looking forward and we still have work to do."
Game One Recap (NIU 11, Toledo 5)
Toledo struck first in the first inning with back-to-back singles before
Lily Cassell (LaGrange, Ohio/Keystone) collected two strikeouts to end the frame.
The Huskies answered in the bottom of the first with back-to-back singles before
Kayla Estrada (Riverside, Calif./Martin Luther King) hit her seventh home run of the season to drive in all three runs.
Rylie Hartman (Kankakee, Ill./Herscher) reached on a Rockets error and later scored on a single to center by
Katy Ramage (Germantown Hills, Ill./Metamora Township).
The Rockets responded in the second inning with a solo home run and added another run on a sacrifice fly to trim NIU's lead to two.
Nance and
Jenna Turner (Marengo, Ill./Marengo) opened the bottom of the second with back-to-back singles before scoring on
Danielle Stewart's (Frankfort, Ill./Metamora Township) double to left. NIU added one more hit in the inning but left the bases loaded.
Toledo added single runs in the third and fourth innings, recording one hit in each frame.
Mia Morera (Simi Valley, Calif./Westlake) drew a walk to start the bottom of the third and scored on Nance's triple to right. A sacrifice fly brought Nance home as NIU extended its lead to 8–3.
Powell led off the fourth inning with a double and scored on Nance's RBI single. Morera later scored NIU's tenth run as the Huskies collected three hits in the inning.
A sacrifice fly produced Toledo's final run in the fifth inning as they left one runner on base.
Ramage opened the bottom of the sixth with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by
Cara Cruthers (Barlett, Ill./South Elgin), closing out the scoring.
Game Two Recap (NIU 6, Toledo 7 | 9 Innings)
NIU retired the first five Toledo batters to open the game before allowing a single to center, but the Huskies stranded the runner to end the inning.
Powell led off the second inning with the first of her three doubles and scored the opening run on a Rockets defensive error.
Taylor Mackin (Minooka, Ill./Minooka Community) handled the first two outs of the third as NIU continued to keep Toledo off the board.
The Rockets broke through in the fourth, scoring three runs on four hits.
NIU answered in the bottom half. Powell doubled again and scored on Ramage's fourth home run of the season to tie the game. Hartman walked and scored on
Ally Rodriguez's (Romeoville, Ill./Plainfield East) infield single, and a walk to Stewart brought home Cruthers to give the Huskies a 5–3 lead after four.
Toledo responded in the fifth with a two-run home run to even the score.
Powell tied the NIU single-game record with her third double later in the fifth, driving a ball to center.
The Rockets regained the lead in the seventh with an RBI single to left.
Powell walked in the bottom of the seventh and scored on Morera's RBI single to tie the game again.
NIU went 1-2-3 defensively in the eighth, while Hanna drew a walk in the bottom half but was left stranded.
A sacrifice fly in the ninth gave Toledo its seventh run before NIU ended the inning with a strikeout.
Powell singled up the middle to start the bottom of the ninth, and Hartman followed with a base hit. A walk to Nance loaded the bases with two outs, but the Rockets secured the final out to close out the game.
The Huskies will be back in action as they compete in the MAC Tournament, May 6-9 in Akron, Ohio. Action will take place at the Firestone Stadium. Tournament seedings, live stat links, and video links will be provided later in the week.
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