DeKALB, Ill.— Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) accounted for three of the runs scored by the Northern Illinois University Huskies softball program as they split action with the University of Toledo Rockets.
The Huskies had a walk-off victory in extra innings in the first game before dropping the second game, 6-5. After today's games, the Huskies moved to 12-25 overall and 5-10 in the MAC.
Stewart had a pair of runs and three strikeouts in the first game of the day. Stewart recorded her third home run this week in the second game for the Huskies.
"Overall, I'm proud of the performance this weekend," said NIU head coach
Christina Sutcliffe. "The goal is to win the series and we were able to accomplish that. Our offense was clicking all weekend long and I felt that we made the adjustments as needed to cause some trouble for Toledo in the circle. We are going to continue to improve on the small details and take this momentum into next week."
Game One Recap (NIU 2, Toledo 1; 8 innings)
Stewart retired the first three batters and allowed only a single hit in the three innings. Stewart singled to shortstop for the first hit of the game for the Huskies in the fourth as the game was a pitching battle early.
Toledo took the lead in the fifth frame, hitting a home run to left field as they recorded a pair of hits in the inning.
After being retired in the fifth frame, the Huskies opened the bottom of the sixth with back-to-back outs. Stewart doubled to right field to reach base before Kylee Graham of Toledo issued three consecutive walks. On
Alana Powell's (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood Academy) walk, Stewart scored the first run for the Huskies and tied the game at one.
In the pitcher's circle for the Huskies,
Claire Norred (Tipton, Ind./Tipton) retired the next six batters for Toledo.
Stewart hit her second double of the game in the bottom of the eighth inning to reach base.
Trinity Jones Estrada (Sylmar, Calif./John F. Kennedy) had the walk-off RBI double as Stewart scored the game-winning run.
Game Two Recap (NIU 5, Toledo 6)
Ellis Erickson (Lutz, Fla./Freedom) extended her hitting streak to 17 consecutive games, opening the first inning with a double to right field for the Huskies. Erickson scored the first run of the game for the Huskies on an error by Toledo as
Jenna Turner (Marengo, Ill./Marengo) advanced to second base. Stewart hit her third home run of the week, and second of the series, to bring home Turner and give the Huskies a 3-0 lead.
A Turner single brought home
Madison Mathews (Yuma, Ariz./Cibola) in the second frame as the Huskies led 4-2 after a pair of runs from Toledo in the top of the inning.
Toledo trimmed the Huskies lead in the top of the third, scoring on an RBI single.
The next three batters for each side would be retired before Jones Estrada singled in the fourth inning.
Brianna Pechman (West Chicago, Ill./West Chicago Community) stole second base before scoring the fifth run of the game on Erickson's RBI single.
Toledo added a run in the fifth before adding a pair of runs in the seventh inning as they held NIU without a hit in the final three innings of the game to take the final game of the series.
Huskie Notes
- Stewart recorded all three strikeouts and issued no walks in the first game.
- Stewart was 3-of-4 at the plate in the first game, before going 1-of-3 in the second game.
- Erickson and Turner each had multi-hit games. Erickson went 2-of-3 at the plate while Turner with 2-of-4 in her at bats.
- Erickson has recorded a hit in every game for the Huskies since March 16 against Central Michigan.
- In games that have gone extra innings this season, the Huskies are 2-1 in those games.
- The Huskies last took a three-game series from Toledo back in 2019, going 2-1 in those meetings.
- The Huskies recorded three doubles in today's game against Toledo, which is tied for a season-high.
The Huskies will take on Western Michigan University on Tuesday, April 16 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. CT in a doubleheader.
