The Northern Illinois softball team was down, but never out against No. 2 seed Ball State.
The seventh-seeded Huskies trailed by one run entering the final inning, but rallied to upset the Cardinals, 3-1, during a Mid-American Conference first round game Wednesday at Akron.
The Huskies (22-30) scored all their runs with two outs in the seventh.
The Cardinals carried a 1-0 lead into the final frame, but then momentum swung back the Huskies' way. Katie Lamich tied the game in the seventh, when she hit an RBI single to left field, scoring Anne Allen.
NIU took a 3-1 lead later in the inning after Dominique Greeno crushed a two-RBI double to left center, bringing in Jenny Van Geertry and Lamich.
“I was just thinking that any base hit or pretty much anything through the infield was going to score two runs,” Greeno said . “I was not trying to do too much and I was just thinking base hit.”
Both Ball State's Aeshia Miles and NIU's Alex Frenz pitched a complete game. Frenz took the win, allowing five hits and one run, while striking out two over seven innings. Miles gave up three runs on six hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
“It was a good game,” Frenz said. “It was crazy to come back, back in the seventh inning. I had all of the trust in the world they were going to get it done hitting wise, and I cannot do what I do without my teammate’s defense. They did a killer job today.”
NIU faces No. 3 Toledo at 3:30 p.m. Thursday,
PREP SOFTBALL
G-K rocks Rockford Lutheran in five: Genoa-Kingston topped Rockford Lutheran, 13-3, in five innings, marking the Cogs' seventh victory in eight games.
Olivia Simmons led G-K's offense with three hits, while Madison Wagner and Sarah Sandusky each had three RBIs. Ashley Peterson finished with two hits and two RBIs.
G-K starting pitcher Ashley Clemente earned the win, striking out four over three innings. Simmons pitched the final two innings as she and Clemente combined to give up five hits.
The Cogs (14-9) travel to Byron at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
Kaneland blanks Rochelle: Kaneland defeated Rochelle, 10-0, in five innings.
The Knights host LaSalle-Peru at 4:30 p.m. Friday.
PREP BASEBALL
G-K outslugs Oregon: Genoa-Kingston won on the road, 11-8.
The Cogs improve to 10-7 overall and 9-6 in conference.
PREP TENNIS
DeKalb loses to Huntley: DeKalb failed to win a single match against Huntley, losing 6-0.
DeKalb's Noah Wilson and Brendan Szostak provided the Barbs' most competitive match of the day, but lost in straight sets, 6-1 and 3-6.
Following the loss, DeKalb's record drops to 4-18, 0-7.
LATE TUESDAY
H-BR soccer season ends: The Royals lost 9-0 to Stillman Valley in the first round of the Class 1A Oregon Regional.
No stats were available from the match.