April 9, 2010

Box Score

AKRON, Ohio - The Northern Illinois University softball team defeated Akron, 7-3 in the first game of a doubleheader Friday afternoon at Lee Jackson Field.

Northern Illinois' (13-21, 3-2) offense came alive, pounding out eight hits for seven runs with Zoe Sinner (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) doing the bulk of the damage going 4-for-4 with two home runs, three runs batted in and two runs scored. Adriana Sanchez (San Fernando, Calif./Alemany) 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 (11-14, 1-2) 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 (Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach Poly) picked up the victory, allowing three runs, while scattering eight hits in seven innings of work.

The Huskies wrap up their doubleheader with Akron with Game Two set to start at 2 p.m. Central Time.

-NIU-