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Danielle Stewart
Elsye Jones, NIU Athletics
2
Kent State KENTST 17-9
3
Winner NIU NIU 8-19
Kent State KENTST
17-9
2
Final
3
NIU NIU
8-19
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Kent State KENTST 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 6 1
NIU NIU 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 3 8 0

W: Stewart, Danielle (5-6) L: NUECHTERLEIN, Megan (10-4)

Game Recap: Softball |

Huskies Snap Losing Streak with Walk-Off Win

Stewart Records Career-Best 12 Strikeouts

DeKALB, Ill.—A walk-off win snapped a six-game losing skid for the Northern Illinois University Huskies softball team. The Huskies (8-19, 2-5 MAC) posted a 3-2 victory over Kent State University (17-9, 3-1 MAC) on March 29, 2024.
 
The Huskies snapped a ten-game winning streak by the Golden Flashes of Kent State and handed them their first conference loss of the season.
 
Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) recorded a career-best 12 strikeouts in the contest. Her previous best was nine strikeouts, achieved earlier this season (Dayton, March 3) and twice last season (Buffalo, April 29-30). 

"This team knows (that) if we have a chance to win in the seventh, they can pull through," said NIU head coach Christina Sutcliffe. "Dee Dee (Stewart) was fantastic on the mound and was supported by great defensive plays throughout the game. It took many Huskies to rally in the seventh and I'm proud of them for staying patient and battling."
 
Kent State got on the board first, scoring on a sacrifice fly in the first inning. The Golden Flashes added to their lead in the fourth inning, scoring on a solo home run. Kent State held the Huskies without a hit until the third inning. 

Stewart held the Golden Flashes without a hit in the third and sixth innings, allowing only six hits on the day. Stewart issued no walks in the game as she faced 28 batters from Kent State. 
 
Jenna Turner (Marengo, Ill./Marengo) had an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth inning to bring home Ellis Erickson (Lutz, Fla./Freedom) for the first Huskie run of the day.
 
Trailing by one as they headed into the final frame, Erickson reached base on a walk. A Turner single put two Huskies on base before a Stewart single loaded the bases. Caitlyn Shumaker (Bellefontaine, Ohio/Bellefontaine) hit a 2 RBI walk-off single to send Turner and Erickson across the plate and win the game for the Huskies.
 
Huskie Notes
 
  • Shumaker recorded her fourth consecutive game with a hit, going 1-for-2 at the plate today.
  • Erickson had her seventh straight game with a hit. Five of her last seven games with a hit have been multiple hit games as she has totaled 11 games with two or more hits.
  • Turner and Erickson were the only Huskies to record multiple hits during the game.
  • Stewart had her fourth complete game of the season.
 
The Huskies are set to conclude their three-game series against Kent State with a doubleheader on March 30. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Mary M. Bell Field for Kid's Day.
 
 
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