BOWLING GREEN, Ohio— Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) recorded her first career no-hitter for the Northern Illinois University Softball program as the Huskies defeated the Falcons of Bowling Green State University, 7-0.
 
Stewart's no-hitter was the first seven inning no-hitter since Taryn Hagemann held Buffalo without a hit on March 14, 2006. Alex Frenz had a perfect game for five innings in 2019, on March 8 against Idaho State.

Stewart had 11 strikeouts, just one shy of her career-best 12, and issued one walk as she marked her eighth complete game of the season.
 
"Dee Dee (Stewart) did a great job of keeping them (Bowling Green) off balance. It's hard to have a home run and a no-hitter in the same game, so her accomplishing that today is special," said NIU head coach Christina Sutcliffe. "We covered their attacks and saw some great defensive plays, including a great catch by Ellis (Erickson) in the outfield."
 
Game Recap
 
The Huskies would score in six of the seven inning this afternoon, starting in the first inning with Ellis Erickson (Lutz, Fla./Freedom). Erickson opened the game with a lead-off double to right center field before scoring on Stewart's RBI single to left field.
 
Avery Carnahan (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) scored the second run of the game for the Huskies on an RBI single by Katy Ramage (Germantown Hills, Ill./Metamora Township) in the second inning.
 
Hitting her seventh home run of the season, Stewart homered to left center field in the third inning for the Huskies. Stewart retired the side in the first and second innings before issuing her only walk of the game in the bottom of the third inning.
 
Alana Powell (Chicago, Ill/Kenwood Academy) continued the Huskie scoring, scoring on Ramage's bunt in the fourth inning.

Bowling Green kept the Huskies from scoring in the fifth inning as that was the only frame the Huskies did not score in.  
 
Caitlyn Shumaker (Bellefontaine, Ohio/Bellefontaine) singled up the middle to start the top of the sixth off before making her way to third base via a passed ball (second) and a steal (third). Shumaker scored the fifth run of the game for the Huskies on Carnahan's RBI single.
 
In the top of the seventh, Erickson and Jenna Turner (Marengo, Ill./Marengo) had back-to-back singles to reach first base. Erickson scored the sixth run of the game for the Huskies, and her second of the day, on a ground out to the shortstop. Turner crossed home plate on an RBI single from Shumaker for the final run of the game.

Stewart recorded two strikeouts in the final half inning against Bowling Green as she recorded her first career no-hitter for the Huskies.
 
"We've had hot bats in the last month or so and can have two separate lineups. The bottom of the lineup has been great these last few weeks and that's helped the top of the lineup to put people in positions for RBIs and hits," noted Sutcliffe. "Against Bowling Green today, we did a good job of staying patient against their pitching staff today and our pitching staff is ready for tomorrow. We have some nice momentum at the end of the season and the pieces are starting to fall into place."
 
Huskie Notes

• Stewart recorded her second shutout game of the season and the team's third overall shutout.
• Erickson, Stewart, Shumaker, and Ramage combined for eight of the Huskies 11 hits.
• Erickson was the only Huskie to score two runs while Stewart and Ramage had four of the seven RBIs for the Huskies.
• Shumaker had two of the three stolen bases for the Huskies.

 
The Huskies will complete the road trip at Bowling Green on Saturday, April 27 in a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. CT/1 p.m. ET at Meserve Field.