The Northern Illinois University softball team’s bats erupted in a doubleheader sweep of Akron Friday afternoon at Lee Jackson Field.
Northern Illinois (14-21, 4-2) took Game One 7-3, and came from behind in the second game to post a 7-6 victory over the Zips (12-18, 1-3) in the second game to complete the sweep.
Trailing 5-3 heading into its last at bat, NIU scored four runs in the top of the seventh with Zoe Sinner leading the charge with a lead-off home run to open the frame. A one-out triple by Michelle Williams drove in Andrea Colosimo to tie the game, 5-5.
A two-out triple by Dani Parrish scored Williams from third to give the Huskies a 6-5 advantage. Carly Norton added an insurance run when her single to center scored Parrish from third.
Akron scored a run in the bottom of the frame and stranded the tying run at second when Monica Segura retired the last two batters to seal the victory for NIU. The freshman picked up her fourth victory of the season allowing five runs, four earned, on five hits in six-and-two-thirds innings.
Sinner’s homer in the top of the seventh capped off an amazing day for the NIU left fielder. She went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored in Game Two. That was after a perfect day in Game One. She did the bulk of the damage in NIU 7-3 victory in the first game, going 4-for-4 with two home runs, three runs batted in and two runs scored.
“Obviously, Zoe had a great day from the plate,” NIU coach Lindsay Chouinard said. “She did a great job in the lead-off spot and really set the tone for us today, letting the offense lead the way.”
Adriana Sanchez picked up where she left off Tuesday against DePaul. She followed up her two home run performance with a 2-for-3 day, hitting her third home run of the year and driving in two runs while scoring twice.
The Huskies scored a run in each of their first three innings to take a 3-0 lead. A two-run fifth by the Zips pulled Akron to within a run, but NIU answered with a two-run homer by Sanchez in the top of the sixth. Sinner’s second homer of the game, a two-run blast in the top of the seventh, extended the Huskie advantage to 7-2.
Sophomore Morgan Bittner picked up the victory, allowing three runs, while scattering eight hits in seven innings of work.
