After dropping a 1-0 decision in the first game of a doubleheader with Western Michigan, the Northern Illinois University softball team used a 14-hit explosion to post an 8-4 victory over the Broncos in the nightcap at Mary M. Bell Field on Saturday afternoon.
Adriana Sanchez and Zoe Sinner keyed the Huskies’ (20-26, 8-6) offensive explosion with each going 3-for-4 with Sanchez driving in three runs and Sinner driving in two runs. Sinner drove in one of her two runs on a solo home run, her eighth of the season, to center field in the third inning.
“Adriana came up really big for us,” NIU coach Lindsay Chouinard said. “She had three big hits, two of them late in the inning when we needed them. She also seems to be settling in behind the plate, and that’s great to see.”
After exchanging leads with the Broncos (11-19, 6-8), NIU broke toke the lead in the bottom of the fifth. With the score tied 4-4 in the bottom of the fifth, NIU retook the lead on a Sanchez double to right field to drive in Ashley Cann, who came into pinch run for Sinner who hit a one-out single to left. A pinch-hit triple by Dani Parrish to right center field extended the lead to 6-4.
Sanchez drove in two more runs in the sixth when she hit a two-out single to center field to score Michelle Williams and Andrea Colosimo.
Sophomore Morgan Bittner, who came in to pitch in the fifth inning, was solid in relief of starter Monica Segura (Santa Ana, Calif./Segerstrom Fundamental). She pitched three solid innings of shutout ball, allowing four hits while striking out three. Bittner was impressive in the first game, allowing one run on three hits and striking out nine. Her only mistake was a solo home run by her counterpart Meredith Whitney.
“Morgan always does a great job of changing speeds,” Chouinard said. “She came out confident and hit her spots.”
