DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University softball team dropped its doubleheader with Kent State at Mary M. Bell Field Friday afternoon.
NIU (6-14, 1-5) suffered an 11-0 setback in five innings in the home opener, before losing the nightcap to Kent State (8-11, 5-1), 12-5.
Of the Golden Flashes' 11 runs in the first game, two were earned. NIU's bats were held in check by Kent State starter Jessica LeBeau. LeBeau allowed two hits and two walks while striking out eight.
The Huskie bats came alive late in game two, with all runs scored via the longball.
Katie Keller drove in NIU's first runs of the day when she hit a two-run blast over the center field fence with a runner on first with two outs in the sixth. It was Keller's fourth home run of the season, a team best. Freshman
Ellis Erickson joined the hit party connecting on her first career collegiate home run with a shot over the left field fence in the seventh.
"We have to have better at bats," NIU head coach
Christina Sutcliffe said. "In the first game we were not swinging at good pitches and letting great ones go by. We just have to figure out how to be better at the plate and we have to keep the ball in the ballpark from the pitching circle. No doubt about it."
The Huskies return to the diamond Saturday, Mar. 27 when NIU continues its series with Kent State at Mary M. Bell Field. First pitch for Saturday's contest is set for 1 p.m. The game will be available via NIUTube and via live stats, all on NIUHuskie.com.
-NIU-
