DeKalb, Ill. - The Toledo softball team (16-22, 5-6 MAC) split a doubleheader with Mid-American Conference opponent Northern Illinois (20-21, 7-7 MAC) on Saturday, winning game one, 8-3, but dropping the rubber match, 4-1, in DeKalb, Ill. Toledo saw senior Kaitlyn Bergman's record reached-base streak end at 19 games, but UT's streak of scoring first extended to nine contests.
 
How it happened:
Game 1:
Game one of the day saw UT out-hit the Huskies 11-4 en route to sophomore Maggie McGurk recording her fifth victory of the season after 3.2 innings of service. Bergman (2-for-4) and sophomore Bekah Yenrick (1-for-2) were the heroes of the day as they both brought around three runners while scoring once themselves. Sophomore Kylie Norwood tied her career-high for most runs scored in a single game when she touched home three times.
 

• The Rockets fought to an early lead as Yenrick popped a two-RBI double in the first inning that scored senior Katie Cozy and Norwood. After a wild pitch moved her to second, sophomore Brittney Davis doubled to left-center to add another run.
• UT added some insurance runs in the second frame thanks to Cozy and Yenrick. With the bases loaded, Cozy was hit by a pitch to bring in sophomore Ami Ill. Yenrick was plunked by a pitch as well to score Norwood and put the Midnight Blue and Gold ahead by a healthy 5-0.
• NIU snapped the shutout in the bottom of the third when a two-on fielder's choice allowed NIU's Jessica Rio to run in from second and make things 5-1 UT.
• The score didn't slow down Toledo as a fourth inning one-on homer from Bergman pushed the score to 7-1 Rockets. The dinger was the sixth time sixth Bergman's left the park this season.
• The Huskies added their final runs in the bottom of the fourth as Kira Mickelson hit a leadoff home run to add a second and Dominique Greeno grounded out to bring around a third.
• Toledo's final run came in the sixth from Bergman. The senior hit an RBI single through the left gap that brought around senior Megan Choate and made the board read 8-3 in UT's favor.
• The Rockets would go on to force the Huskies to leave two runners on the bags between their final two plate appearances, claiming their fifth conference win.

 
 

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
UT	3	2	0	2	0	1	0	8	11	1
NIU	0	0	1	2	0	0	0	3	4	1

W: McGurk, Maggie (5-3)                   L: FRENZ (7-8)
 
 
Game two:
The  rubbermatch was a slow burner as scoring didn't open until the fifth inning. Cozy was the most effective player for the Rockets as she was 2-for-3 with a homer that scored Toledo's lone run. Sophomore Erin Hunt recorded five strikeouts through six innings
 

• Neither side got much momentum going in the first half of the game as 10 runners were left on the bases between the two teams before the first run scored.
• Cozy put the first run on the board in the fifth as she left the park after Norwood and Choate went down.
• NIU responded in full in the next at-bat as Jenny Van Geertry hit a RBI single that was just deep enough for Katie Lamich to come in. A followup slapper from Kayla Scaperrotta brought in Van Geertry to put NIU ahead 2-1.
• The Huskies scored their series-winning runs in the sixth as Sam Schmidt left the park with one on to make the board read 4-1 for the home team. UT tried hard in the seventh but went down 1-2-3 to wrap up the day.

 
 

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
UT	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	5	0
NIU	0	0	0	0	2	2	X	4	8	0

W: BRYAN, Mackenzie (12-10)                      L: Hunt, Erin (9-10)
 
 
Up Next
UT is back in the diamond on Wednesday when Cleveland State comes to town for a 3:00 p.m. doubleheader at Scott Park.