LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Northern Illinois University softball team suffered back-to-back setbacks on the opening day of the Liberty Classic at Kamphuis Field Friday morning. NIU fell 5-0 in opener versus Marshall and 8-0 to Liberty in the closer.

"We struggled in all aspects of the game today," said head NIU coach Christina Sutcliffe. "This is not our team, and we will rise up and be a better version of ourselves tomorrow. We are still learning and growing, and this is a process that 'Team 65' believes in."

Game One: Marshall 5, NIU 0
The Herd (8-2) took a quick 2-0 lead in the first frame with a two RBI homer over the left field fence. Lily Cassell (LaGrange, Ohio/Keystone) kept Marshall at bay until the top of the fourth inning when they scored two unearned runs.

Emily Dato (Munster, Ind./Munster) came in to pitch for Cassell in the fifth. Dato got NIU (1-7) out of the inning in just four batters and allowed no hits.

Marshall however sent another dinger over the left field fence in the bottom of the sixth to go up 5-0 on the Huskies.

Caitlyn Shumaker (Bellefontaine, Ohio/Bellefontaine) gave NIU its sole hit of the game when she logged a single to first base but was stranded on third after advancing bases on a wild pitch and a steal.

That would be it in terms of scoring from either team as Marshall shutout NIU 5-0.

Game Two: Liberty 8, NIU 0
With Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) starting in the circle for game two, Liberty (2-9) went up by two the first inning, scoring off a RBI single and an unearned run via sac fly.

From there and with Stewart dealing, neither team could muster much offense as no runs were scored until the fifth inning.    

In NIU's half of the inning, Cara Cruthers (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) posted the Huskies' first hit with a single to left on a 0-2 count.

In the home half of the fifth, Liberty knocked two singles to left field before Emily Dato (Munster, Ind./Munster) was called in to pitch.

A wild pitch two at-bats later helped the Flames increase their lead to 3-0 while a three RBI double to left center doubled Liberty's advantage.

Finally, a two RBI home run to left field sealed NIU's fate as the game ended via run rule in walk-off fashion.   

Up Next
The Huskies continue the action tomorrow when they play Elon in a doubleheader starting at 9 a.m. CT.