MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Northern Illinois University softball team suffered a 4-0 setback to host Central Michigan University in the opener of its three-game Mid-American Conference series Saturday afternoon.

Despite two stolen bases from senior Katie Keller (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) and 5 1/3 innings of solid pitching from Emily Dato (Munster, Ind./Munster), the Huskies couldn't overcome a three-run sixth inning from the Chippewas.

"We just needed to have better quality at bats with runners in scoring position," Huskies head coach Christina Sutcliffe said, "and stay patient, and keep passing the bat."  

After a solo home run from Central Michigan's designated player in the fourth inning, the Huskies defense stayed strong through the next two frames. But an error in the sixth inning opened the door for the Chippewas as they followed with an RBI single, a run-scoring single and an RBI double to polish off the scoring and the contest.

"Our defense played well for Dato and kept us in the game," Sutcliffe said. "But we just had one rough inning and couldn't recover from it."

NIU tried to respond in the seventh and almost did so as Mackenzie Mahy (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln Way West) walked and Maddie Mackey (Geneseo, Ill./Geneseo) laced a one-out single to center field, but the next two batters were retired in order. In all, the Huskies stranded eight runners on base.

"We had runners in scoring position in every single inning," Sutcliffe said, "but we just couldn't get the key hit to get them in."

Dato suffered her seventh loss of the season as scattered nine hits and yielded two earned runs while striking out a batter and walking none. Kara Apato (Oak Lawn, Ill./Marist), Courtney James (Fishers, Ind./Fishers), Keller, Sam Mallinder (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) and Mackey all had a hit for the Huskies (9-18, 3-9), who close out the series with a doubleheader tomorrow beginning at 10 am CT.

"We need to deliver the barrel to the ball to get back in the series," Sutcliffe said, "and stay patient once we get those runners in scoring position."  

-NIU-