Huskies Capture Friday's Series Opener, 10-5

Friday, March 31

DeKalb, IL

3:00 PM CT

Bowling Green State University

15-20, 1-3

Northern Illinois

15-11, 3-1

Bowling Green

Northern Illinois

Aspen Searle (left) homered on Friday, while Sami Parave had a 2-out, 2-run single

March 31, 2017 | Softball

Box Score

NIU responds after BGSU rallies from five runs down

By: DeKALB, Ill. (BGSU Athletic Communications)

The Bowling Green State University softball team came back from five runs down, but host Northern Illinois University had an answer. The Huskies scored five unanswered runs to down the Falcons, 10-5, Friday afternoon (March 31) in Mid-American Conference action at Mary M. Bell Field.

BGSU scored four times in the fourth inning, including a two-run single by senior Sami Parave and another hit by sophomore Hannah Giammarino that resulted in a pair of runs. Then, redshirt junior Aspen Searle homered in the fifth to tie the game at 5-5.

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But, the Huskies' two-out success was too much for the Falcons to overcome. Eight of Northern's 10 runs, and 10 of the Huskies' 15 hits, came after two were out.

Kali Kossakowski scored three runs in the win, and was one of three Huskies to collect three hits. Bekah Harnish went 3-for-3, while Kossakowski and Jenny Van Geertry each were 3-for-4 on Friday.

Searle and freshman Kendyl Wheeler each had a pair of hits for the Falcons, with Searle crossing the plate twice.

The Huskies scored in each of the first three innings to take a five-run lead. Kossakowski led off the bottom of the first with a homer to open the scoring, and her teammates put three more runs in the board in the second inning.

That second frame saw sophomore starter Brooke Parker retire the first two hitters before Anne Allen singled and Van Geertry doubled. Van Geertry took third and Allen scored when the ball was bobbled in the outfield, and after Kossakowski singled and stole second, Harnish's single plated a pair of teammates for a four-run lead.

The third inning saw the hosts mount another two-out rally. The first two batters were set down, but after a Sam Schmidt single and Allen's walk, Van Geertry singled to give the hosts a 5-0 advantage.

Meanwhile, NIU starter Tara Thacker allowed just one hit – an infield single off the bat of Wheeler – through three innings. But, the Falcons batted around and chased Thacker from the game in the fourth.

Senior Haley Schrock drew a leadoff walk, and Searle lined a single to left. The runners moved up on a grounder to the right side, but were forced to hold on another grounder that produced the inning's second out.

But, BG would send five batters to the plate after that second out was recorded, getting back into the game. Parave lined a single to center to get the Falcons on the board, as both Schrock and Searle crossed the plate. Junior Katee Hinkle walked, and Giammarino followed with a single that was misplayed by NIU leftfielder Jessica Rio. Both Parave and Hinkle scored on the play.

Alex Frenz replaced Thacker in the circle, and was gretted by a Wheeler single that put runners at the corners. But, Frenz was able to get a grounder for the final out of the inning.

NIU threatened to increase the lead in the bottom of the inning, but Parker worked out of a jam. After Harnish and Kayti Grable each singled, Alaynie Woollard's sacrifice bunt put two runners in scoring position with just one out.

Pinch-hitter Dominique Greeno reached base on a fielder's choice, as Parker fielded her grounder and elected to throw home, forcing the runners to hold. But, the bases were now loaded.

Parker, though, got Harnish to hit another ball back to the circle, throwing to catcher Laine Simmons to force Harnish at the plate for out number two. And, the BG sophomore pitcher induced pinch-hitter Kayla Scaperrotta to hit a fly ball that Giammarino squeezed in shallow center to retire the side.

After Frenz retired the first batter in the fifth, Searle turned on a pitch and drilled a ball over the left-field fence, tying the score. The homer was Searle's fourth of the year and the 18th of her BG career.

In the bottom of the inning, NIU again mounted a two-out rally. Allen singled, but was erased on a fielder's choice by Van Geertry. And, Van Geertry was gunned down by Simmons as she attempted to steal second. But, Kossokowski singled, Harnish was hit by a pitch and Grable followed with a base hit. On the latter play, both runners scored after an outfield error, with Grable making it all the way to third. She scored on Woollard's single to give the Huskies an 8-5 advantage.

And, the Huskies scored two more runs in the sixth. Rio singled and eventually scored on Allen's groundout. Then, Van Geertry tripled and scored on a Kossakowski single to complete the scoring.

Frenz picked up the win in relief, allowing a run and three hits in 3 1/3 innings of work. She improved to 10-2 on the season.

The Falcons and Huskies will return to Mary M. Bell Field to complete the three-game weekend series. BGSU and NIU will meet in a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. locally (2:00 p.m. ET).