DeKALB, Ill.—Caitlyn Shumaker (Bellefontaine, Ohio/Bellefontaine) broke the Northern Illinois University Huskies softball career record for stolen bases, setting the new record at 61. Shumaker and the Huskies split action against Kent State, with each team taking a game.
The Golden Flashes of Kent State University won the first game 5-3 before the Huskies had a big first inning in the second game of the doubleheader, winning 5-2. The Huskies won the series against Kent State, 2-1.
The previous record for career stolen bases was set in 2000 by Jill Carpenter at 59.
"We knew going into the weekend, we needed to get two wins out of the series. I'm proud of how they fought back in the second game to win and trusted each other on the field," said NIU head coach
Christina Sutcliffe. "Getting Lily back in the circle was great. She had a great performance as she came back from injury and pitched a complete game for us."
Game One Recap (NIU 3, Kent State 5)
Kent State opened the scoring in the first game, scoring on a 2-run home run in the third inning.
After getting two outs in the bottom of the third inning,
Cara Cruthers (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) reached first base on a walk.
Ellis Erickson (Lutz, Fla./Freedom) hit her fifth home run of the season with the next at bat, bringing home Cruthers and tying the game at two.
An
Avery Carnahan (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) double would bring home
Katy Ramage (Germantown Hills, Ill./Metamora Township) for a 3-2 Huskie lead in the bottom of the fourth.
Back-to-back doubles by the Golden Flashes in the top of the fifth inning saw three runs cross the plate.
The Huskies would get a runner on base in the bottom of the seventh inning but were unable to convert as the Golden Flashes took the first game of the day.
Game Two Recap (NIU 5, Kent State 2)
Jenna Turner (Marengo, Ill./Marengo) reached base on an error to be the second Huskie to reach base in the bottom of the first inning. A two-run home run by
Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) brought home two runs for the Huskies. Shumaker was hit by the pitch and reach base. Shumaker's record breaking stolen base occurred in the first inning before she would be brought home on an RBI single by Carnahan.
The Golden Flashes put one across in the top of the third, scoring on an RBI single.
A combined two hits happened through the middle stretch of the game as neither defense allowed any additional runs to be scored until the top of the fifth. Kent State put their final run of the game across in the fifth inning, scoring on an RBI single.
A Shumaker doubled in the bottom of the fifth as
Alana Powell (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood Academy) scored the fourth run of the game. Shumaker stole third before scoring for the second time in the game on a Carnahan single for the fifth run of the game.
Neither pitcher allowed a hit in the final inning and a half of the game as the Huskies and Golden Flashes split action.
"Having Shu (Shumaker) break the school record at home was fantastic to watch and she did it in true Shu fashion, with a back pick," said Sutcliffe.
Huskie Notes
- Erickson marked her ninth consecutive game with a hit, recording a hit in each game today.
- Stewart recorded all five strikeouts in the opening game for the Huskies as she pitched four innings.
- Tess Meyer (La Grange, Ill./Lyons Township) made her debut for the Huskies in the second game, pinching hitting in the sixth inning.
- The Huskies have won four of the last six games against the Golden Flashes.
- Lily Cassell (LaGrange, Ohio/Keystone) pitched all seven innings of the second game for the Huskies, striking out six batters, issuing one walk, and recording her second complete game in her career.
The Huskies conclude a six-game homestand on Wednesday, April 3 as they host UIC in a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.
