Final Stats

ROSEMONT, Ill. - The Northern Illinois University softball team came up on the short end in a pair of games Sunday in Rosemont, Illinois, falling to IUPUI and Butler.

The Huskies opened the day with a 5-0 loss to IUPUI, then suffered a close 3-2 defeat at the hands of Butler.

"We just weren't able to put any of the three parts of the game together," said NIU Head Coach Christina Sutcliffe. "We weren't able to pitch it well or play defense according to where we were or have quality at-bats. It wasn't enough to perform."

"We just have to tighten our corners, meaning we're a little rough around the edges. The sooner we can smooth those out, I think the more success we'll have down the road. We just need to get better in every area of the game and we'll be fine."

Game One: Huskies Go Silent in 5-0 Loss to IUPUI

The Huskies had a tough opening to the day's twinbill, suffering a 5-0 loss to IUPUI.

Following a four-run first inning by the Jaguars, NIU kept the potent IUPUI offense in check by allowing just one run the rest of the contest. However, the Huskie offense was unable to get on track in the loss.

After the Huskies left two on base in the top of the first, IUPUI made its mark quickly starting with a leadoff single. NIU pitcher Keegan Hayes (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central) got the next two batters out, but a hit by pitch and a walk loaded the bases for pitcher Brooke Boetjer. Boetjer proceeded to lift a pitch over the left-center field fence to give the Jaguars an early 4-0 lead.

IUPUI added to their lead in the third when Eryn Dillon singled home Roni Patterson for a 5-0 Jaguar edge. Two batters lafter, Hayes was lifted for fellow freshman Tara Thacker (Uniontown, Ohio/North Canton Hoover), who got NIU out of the inning.

While NIU's bats were silenced by Boetjer, Thacker kept the Huskies close by getting out of a two-on, two-out situation in the fourth and stranding a runner on third in the fifth. The Uniontown, Ohio, native finished her day with a clean three-up, three-down frame in the sixth.

On offense, the Huskies threatened to trim the Jaguars' lead late, but came up empty. In the sixth inning, Grable reached base on a single to the left side to put a runner on. Pinch runner Kristyn Barrett (Monticello, Ill./Monticello) stole second, only to be stranded. Similarly, Allyson Hecht (Huntington Beach, Calif./Edison) led off the seventh with a ground rule double, but couldn't get home in the Huskies' last chance.

Game Two: NIU Comes Up Short Against Butler, 3-2

A late rally by the Huskies came up just short in a 3-2 loss to Butler.

Emily Naegele (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) and Jessica Sturm (Wichita, Kan./Goddard) both tallied RBIs, but it was not enough in the second half of the doubleheader.

Butler opened the contest with a bang, as Brandyce Sallee launched a ball to center field for a lead-off solo home run and an early 1-0 lead. However, Sturm silenced the Bulldog offense from there by allowing just two hits and a walk over the next 12 batters, keeping it a 1-0 game through three innings.

In the fourth, though, the Bulldogs got on the board. After the lead-off batter reached on an error and the ensuing batter was plunked, a sacrifice bunt, a Sturm strikeout and another hit by pitch put the bases loaded with two outs of Sallee. With the count full, the Bulldogs' top hitter drew a walk to bring in a run for Butler. However, Sturm got out of the jam by striking out Kristen Boros.

Butler added another run on in the fifth, as Riley Carter singled down the left field line to bring in Alyssa Lach. Yet, Sturm limited the damage by forcing Sarah Gronowski to line out and end the inning.

After being unable to solve Butler pitcher Kristin Gutierrez over the first five innings, the Huskies finally put things together in the sixth. Bekah Harnish (Maple Park, Ill./Burlington Central) started the frame with a bloop infield single, then advanced to third on Kayti Grable's double into right field that fell right between the second baseman and right fielder. A sacrifice fly into deep center by Naegele plated Harnish for the first run, while Sturm's double into the right power alley scored Grable and put the tying run on second. However, Sturm was stranded to end the inning.

After Keegan Hayes mowed down Butler in the sixth and seventh, the Huskies had one last shot in the bottom of the seventh, but was not meant to be.

NIU stays in-state next weekend when they head down to Carbondale, Illinois, to face Southern Illinois, DePaul and Murray State in the 2015 Coach B Classic.