Softball | March 25
DeKALB, Ill.—Opening their home portion of the 2024 campaign, the Northern Illinois University Huskies softball program will host in-state foe DePaul University on Tuesday, March 26 at Mary M. Bell Field on the NIU campus.
The Huskies (7-18, 1-5 MAC) and Blue Demons (6-20, 2-4 Big East) will have their first pitch at 2 p.m. in the Huskies' Mental Health Awareness game.
Previewing DePaul
The Huskies have a 23-38 series record against DePaul. The Huskies had a 16-game losing streak against DePaul, snapping that streak in last season's meeting. The Huskies have a 12-14 record when playing against DePaul at Mary M. Bell Field.
The Huskies won 6-0 over DePaul in Chicago on April 19, 2023.
Courtney James (Fishers, Ind./Fishers),
Kiley Conner (St. Johns, Ind./Lake Central), and
Cara Cruthers (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) combined for six of the Huskies nine hits.
Caitlyn Shumaker (Bellefontaine, Ohio/Bellefontaine) scored two of the Huskies six runs in the shutout victory last year.
Huskie Notes
With her second stolen base on March 15 against Central Michigan, Shumaker tied the NIU school record for all-time stolen bases record. Her next stolen base will set a record for the NIU softball program. The record was set from 1997-2000 by Jill Carpenter and stands at 59.
Ellis Erickson (Lutz, Fla./Freedom) has her fifth consecutive game with a hit with four of her last five games having multiple hits. Erickson leads the Huskies with 32 hits this season and a batting average of .400.
In the pitchers' circle for the Huskies,
Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) leads the Huskies with an ERA of 2.68 and 56 strikeouts.
Erickson and
Katy Ramage (Germantown Hills, Ill./Metamora Township) lead the Huskies with 28 combined scored runs. Erickson leads the team in home runs (4) and doubles (9) while Shumaker leads the team with 12 stolen bases.
The Huskies lead the MAC in stolen bases with 63 bases this season. Erickson is No. 8 in the MAC for hitting and No. 3 against MAC-only opponents. Shumaker is No. 3 in the MAC for stolen bases.
Recording a season-high 13 hits, the Huskies fell in the final game of the three-game series to the University of Akron Zips, 7-6. The Huskies fell in 11 innings in the first game (0-1) before dropping the second game, a 4-2 loss. The Huskies were out hit 31-27 and had eight runs as compared to 12 runs by the Zips.
The Huskies remain at home as they return to conference action on March 28-29, hosting Kent State. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. on March 28 with a doubleheader on March 29 at 1 p.m.
