May 4, 2009

DEKALB, Ill. - The Northern Illinois University softball team earned a fifth seed for the 2009 Mid-American Conference Softball Championship and will open the tourney against Miami University, the No. 4 seed, at Firestone Stadium Wednesday. First pitch is slated for 11 a.m.

The Huskies (18-35, 12-10), who are returning to the MAC Tournament after a year absence, are making their first appearance in the conference tourney under second-year head coach Lindsay Chouinard. NIU dropped both games to Miami (OH) (28-21, 13-8) when the two played a doubleheader April 18 earlier this season in Oxford, Ohio. The RedHawks won game one, 4-3, and took the second game 7-0.

-NIU-