ATHENS, Ohio-The Ohio softball team made the most of its senior day on Saturday, taking both games of its doubleheader against Northern Illinois at the Ohio Softball Field. The Bobcats won game one 9-7 before taking game two 2-1.

Senior Erin Chapman (Beavercreek) was 5-7 on the day with five RBI, four of which came on a walk-off grand slam to win game one.

The Bobcats had to wait and see if they made the MAC Tournament after the second contest was played under protest by Northern Illinois following a disputed call in the top of the fifth inning. The protest was reviewed and the decision on the field was upheld, allowing the Bobcats to advance to their second tournament in three seasons.

"I'm estatic,” head coach Roanna Brazier said. "It's great to see all our hard work and effort pay off with a trip to the MAC Tournament."

Ohio (20-29, 13-11) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second of game one as Chapman walked and later scored on a well-executed suicide squeeze bunt by sophomore Shannon Weidner (Canal Winchester).

The Bobcats pulled out to a 5-0 lead in the third as they exploded for four runs on four hits and an error. Senior Sarah Melvin (Loveland) tallied the first run of the frame when she tripled to left center, scoring freshman Kelly Rodriguez (Miami, Fla.) from second. Junior Jennifer Tisevich (Canton) brought Melvin home on a double to left center and came home on the same play after the center fielder threw the ball away. Chapman completed the scoring one batter later by belting a solo home run to right field.

Northern Illinois (14-39, 6-16) responded and scored four runs of its own in the top of the fourth, highlighted by a three-run home run from Kelly Park. Huskies pitcher Kelly Dearborn helped her own cause earlier in the inning by hitting a single to right field to score the first run.

The score remained 5-4 in favor of Ohio until the top of the seventh, when Northern scored three runs to take a 7-5 lead. Toni Del Toro put the Huskies ahead on a two-run single with the bases loaded and Dearborn added the seventh run with her second RBI single of the contest.

The Bobcats were down to their final out in the bottom of the seventh with Rodriguez on second when Dearborn walked senior Kiersten Scrima (Olympia, Wash.) and Tisevich to load the bases for Chapman. Chapman took advantage of the situation and hit her second home run of the contest and first career grand slam down the right field line to win the game. That blast moved Chapman into first place on the school’s single season home run list, surpassing the mark of seven set last season by Tisevich.

In game two, Ohio took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Melvin doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly from Tisevich.

Northern Illinois tied the game in the top of the second when Kelly Drozd hit a solo home run to right center.

The Bobcats took the lead for good in the bottom of the third when sophomore Robin Miller (Chagrin Falls) doubled down the right field line to score Tisevich from second.

Ohio looked to add a run in bottom of the fifth, loading the bases with one out. The Bobcats were kept off the board though, as freshman Nikki Brooks (Chilicothe) hit into a fielder’s choice and senior Georgia Villard (Canton) popped out to third base.

The Huskies nearly tied the game in the sixth, advancing runners to second and third with no outs. Ohio got out of the jam unscathed though, as Drozd popped out, Shelby Bernard was picked off at third and Elyse Jamrozy grounded out to the shortstop to end the inning. That would be as close as Northern would get, as the Huskies were shut down in the top of the seventh to end the game and sweep the doubleheader.

Junior Kerri Harley (Hickory Hills, Ill.)got the start in both games, going 3.1 innings in game one and allowing four runs on four hits and a walk. She struck out three. Harley went two innings in game two, surrendering one run on two hits.

Freshman Natalie Armstrong (Murrysville, Pa.) also made an appearance in both games, going 3.2 innings in game one. She gave up three runs on seven hits while striking out two. In game two, Armstrong went the final two innings and shut out the Huskies while allowing two hits to earn her conference-leading seventh save of the season.

Sophomore Candy Warden (Fredrick, Md.) came on in relief of Harley in game two and worked three frames of no-hit ball while fanning two.