BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Northern Illinois University softball team split its doubleheader against Buffalo to open the three-game series Saturday. Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) notched a career-high nine strikeouts in NIU's 3-2 win to open the series, but the team fell 4-2 in game two-of-three at Nan Harvey Field.

"Unfortunately, we weren't able to string our hits together in the second game," said head NIU coach Christina Sutcliffe. "We need to bounce-back and go fight tomorrow,"

Game One | NIU 3, UB 2
After Courtney James (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) drew a walk in the first inning, Sam Mallinder (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) batted her in with an RBI single to center field, giving NIU (23-24, 12-12 MAC) its first run of the ballgame.

The Bulls (12-34, 6-16 MAC) knotted the game 1-1 in the bottom of the second inning with a solo shot over the fence, but the Huskies regained the lead when Stewart scored Kiley Conner (St. John, Ind./Lake Central) with an RBI double to right.

Later in the top of the sixth, Fiona Crane (Evergreen Park, Ill./Mother McAuley) gave NIU a 3-1 lead when she advanced home from third after Stewart was caught stealing second. In the home half of the inning, Buffalo came within one run with an RBI double, but Stewart and the Huskie defense stranded a base runner in bottom of the seventh inning to seal the 3-2 win.

Notes

• NIU scored three runs off seven hits and had one error
• The Bulls scored two runs off four hits and had no errors
• Stewart pitched her first complete-game shutout, fanning a career-high nine batters
• Conner and Stewart were 2-3 in the batter's box to lead the Huskies' offense
• Stewart and Mallinder had one RBI each

Game Two | UB 4, NIU2
Buffalo capitalized off a big first inning to take the DH closer by two runs. The Bulls posted three doubles in the first frame to take a 4-0 lead which NIU was unable to recover from.

The Huskies scored one run in the third inning with Kelly Walinski's (Worth, Ill./Marist) RBI single, scoring Caitlyn Shumaker (Bellefontaine, Ohio/Bellefontaine) who had previously doubled.

Then in the top of the fourth with runners on the corners, Ally Rodriguez (Romeoville, Ill./Plainfield East) and Cara Cruthers (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) executed a double steal to make the score 4-2, UB.

From there, NIU recorded just one hit as Buffalo held on to win the contest.

Notes

• NIU Scored two runs off seven hits and had no errors
• Buffalo scored four runs off seven hits and had two errors
• Emily Dato (Munster, Ind./Munster) was pinned with the loss
• Lily Cassell (LaGrange, Ohio/Keystone) relived Dato and registered four Ks in 6.2 innings of work
• Walinski was 3-4 with one RBI to lead the offense

"Lily (Cassell) came in to the second game and did a fantastic job of shutting them down and giving us a chance to chip away."

Up Next
The two teams will close the series tomorrow with a single game. First pitch is slated for 11 a.m. CT.