MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich.— Dropping the final two games of the series, the Northern Illinois University Huskies softball program fell to the Central Michigan University Chippewas this afternoon. The Huskies fell 5-7 in the first game before their comeback fell short in the second game, falling 6-7.
The Huskies fell to 7-15 on the season and 1-2 in MAC play while the Chippewas move to 5-18 on the season and 2-1 in MAC play.
"We battled hard today, but unfortunately came up short in both games," said NIU head coach
Christina Sutcliffe. "The more we are in these close games, the better we will be when it gets to tournament time. Ellis and Madison had great days at the plate. Overall, we just left too many runs stranded throughout the series but there's a lot of positives moving in the right direction."
Game One Recap (NIU 5, CMU 7)
The Huskies had back-to-back walks in the first inning before a
Katy Ramage (Germantown Hills, Ill./Metamora Township) single loaded the bases with two outs. With their backs against the wall in the top of the inning,
Avery Carnahan (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) reached on a walk as
Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) scored the first run of the day.
The Chippewas opened the second inning with a solo home run to tie the game. After a pair of outs, the Chippewas got the bases loaded on a walk late in the inning. Carly Sleeman of CMU had a 2 RBI double as the Chippewas took a 3-1 lead over NIU.
Quickly getting the bases loaded with Huskies in the third, CMU recorded their first out on a fielder's choice to keep NIU from crossing the plate.
Madison Mathews (Yuma, Ariz./Cibola) singled to left field for two runs as Carnahan and Ramage tied the game up at three. An
Isabel Shafer (Dalton City, Ill./Mt. Zion) RBI single brought home
Courtney James (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) as NIU regained the lead.
Ellis Erickson (Lutz, Fla./Freedom) had the lone hit of the fourth inning for either team as she recorded her fourth home run this season.
After keeping the Huskies from adding to their lead in the top of the sixth, the Chippewas added four runs off three hits to take a 7-5 lead over NIU.
Stewart recorded all seven of the Huskies strikeouts, her fourth most this season.
Game Two Recap (NIU 6, CMU 7)
Central Michigan took an early lead over the Huskies in the second game of the day, jumping out to a 3-0 lead at the end of the first inning. The Chippewas added to their lead in the third inning, with a single run scored.
After a pair of outs to start the Huskies at bat in the fourth inning, Carnahan hit a single to reach first base. Mathews hit her second home run of the season to bring home Carnahan and pull the Huskies within two.
The Chippewas added three runs in the fourth inning to pull away from the Huskies.
Erickson hit an RBI double to left-center field as Stewart crossed the plate after reaching on an error by CMU. Erickson crossed home plate on a Carnahan RBI single. A
Trinity Jones Estrada (Sylmar, Calif./John F. Kennedy) 2 RBI single brought home Carnahan and Ramage for the final two runs of the day for the Huskies.
The Huskies pitching staff struck out five batters in the second game and issued six walks.
Huskie Notes
- Mathews had a pair of doubles in the first game, going 3-of-3 at the plate with 2 RBIs.
- Erickson was the other Huskie to be 3-of-3 at the plate in the first game, adding a home run to her stat line.
- Erickson and Mathews were the only Huskies to each have a home run in today's contest.
- With her second stolen base in Friday's (March 15) game, Cailtin Shumaker (Bellefontaine, Ohio/Bellefontaine) tied the NIU record for career stolen bases.
- Erickson, Ramage, and Jones Estrada were 2-of-4 at the plate in the second game, combining for four RBIs.
- Ramage was 4-of-8 combined today, totaling two runs and two stolen bases.
- Erickson has had eight games this season with two or more hits.
The Huskies return to action on March 22-23 as they travel to Akron for a three-game series. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. CT at Lee R. Jackson Field.
