DEKALB, Ill. –The Northern Illinois University softball team is back in action playing the Ball State Cardinals in doubleheader action starting at 1 p.m. at Mary. M. Bell Field on Wednesday.  
 
The two teams originally scheduled doubleheader in Muncie last week was cancelled, turning this week's single game, into a doubleheader. The Cardinals (24-12, 6-3) will be the home team in the first game, while the Huskies (14-22, 5-4) will be the home team in the second game.  NIU is 45-28 all-time against Ball State, the most wins against any other Mid-American Conference opponent in program history. Ball State won two out of three meetings last season.  
 
"Ball State can flat out hit," said NIU head softball coach Christina Sutcliffe.  "We just have to figure out how we can get off the field when we can and do a little bit better job of doing that. We also have to make some good pitches, but it should be a slugfest."
 
Senior Alaynie Woollard (New Castle, Ind. /New Castle) led the way for NIU at the plate against the Bobcats.  The Huskie infielder batted .333 with two home runs and seven RBI against Ohio. Woollard hit a grand slam in the first game of Friday's doubleheader and a three-run home run in Sunday's, 7-6, loss. Junior Jenny Van Geertry (Mokena, Ill. /Lincoln-Way East) leads the NIU lineup with a .429 batting average, four home runs and 22 driven in.  Van Geertry also has hit nine doubles and is slugging .736 this season.  
 
Alex Frenz (Oakville, Mo. /Oakville) notched the lone win for the Huskies against Ohio.  Frenz worked five-and-two-thirds innings only surrendering three runs on three hits registering an ERA of 2.47.  The Huskie junior leads the team with six wins and is second on the team with a 3.47 ERA. Freshman Mackenzie Bryan (Elwood, Ind. /Elwood) leads the Huskie pitching staff with a 3.19 ERA.  Bryan hurled eight-and-two-thirds innings against Ohio. 
 
Live streaming and stats will be available through niuhuskies.com.  Fans can follow live up-to-date updates via Twitter @NIUscores.  Fans can follow the Huskies softball team on Twitter @NIUSoftball, Facebook @NIU.Softball, and Instagram @niu_softball.  
 
–NIU–