DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University Softball team will look to build on its successful series at Kent State when the Huskies play host to Ball State in a single game at Mary M. Bell Field Wednesday. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.
 
The Huskies (18-15, 6-5) lost its doubleheader with Ball State (25-18, 9-2) last week. NIU comes into Wednesday's contest on a high having taken two of three at Kent State over the weekend, a series in which the Huskies played some of their best softball of the year.
 
"I think we're coming off the best ball we've played in conference this season," said NIU head coach Christina Sutcliffe. "Hopefully we can take that momentum into Ball State tomorrow. Ball State leads the entire MAC right now. We need to figure out how to pick one [a win] up Wednesday."
 
NIU committed six errors in two games when it faced Ball State in Muncie last week. That rough day in the field may have been a wake up call of sorts for the Huskies. In three games with the Golden Flashes, NIU had only two defensive miscues.
 
"I think it was a wake up call that we have to focus more," Sutcliffe said. "We can't just show up. Six teams are either 6-5 or 5-6 in the MAC, so everybody's kind of beating everybody. We just have to understand that if you're the better team you have to prove it on the field."
 
Kayti Grable (Santana, Calif./Santee) led the way for NIU over the weekend against Kent State. The Huskie senior went 5-for-10, including two home runs, with four RBIs and three runs scored. Her best performance of the week came in the series finale where she went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored to lead NIU to an 8-6 win over the Golden Flashes.
 
Live video Tuesday's game, and all Huskie Softball home games this year, is available through NIUTube at NIUHuskies.com. Prices range from $6.95 for a 24-hour pass, $10.95 for a monthly subscription and $89.95 for a yearly pass. Sign up today at NIUHuskies.com. Live stats will also be available on NIUHuskies.com.
 
Wednesday's home game with the Cardinals is the lone home game for NIU in a three-week stretch that began last Tuesday at Ball State. The Huskies will be at Western Michigan and Central Michigan over the course of the next two weekends. NIU returns home April 26 when NIU plays host to Valparaiso.
 
-NIU-