DeKALB, Ill.—Caitlyn Shumaker (Bellefontaine, Ohio/Bellefontaine) went three-for-three at the plate as the Northern Illinois University Huskies softball team fell 17-5 to the DePaul Blue Demons.
 
With the loss, the Huskies fell to 7-19 on the season.
 
"We need to go back to the toolkit and find out what works," said NIU head coach Christina Sutcliffe.
 
Shumaker answered a DePaul home run for the Huskies in the bottom of the inning. Shumaker scored as Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) earned the RBI on a fielder's choice.
 
The Blue Demons of DePaul scored seven runs on five hits to jump out to an 8-1 lead over the Huskies.
 
Stewart earned her second RBI of the day, as Shumaker and Ellis Erickson (Lutz, Fla./Freedom) scored for the Huskies. Avery Carnahan (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) recorded the Huskies third double of the third inning, sending Brianna Pechman (West Chicago, Ill./West Chicago Community) across the plate for the Huskies fourth run of the day.
 
A grand slam by DePaul in the top of the fourth, extending their lead to eight before adding on a run to take a 13-4 lead over NIU. DePaul added a three-run home run in the top of the fifth as they tallied four runs of two hits in the inning.
 
Shumaker, who recorded her third consecutive game with a hit, hit a triple in the bottom of the fifth before scoring on Stewart's sacrifice fly out.
 
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.