CARBONDALE, Ill.—The Northern Illinois University Huskies softball team (5-10) combined for 11 hits in action today at the Saluki Invitational as they were swept in both games. The Huskies dropped a 6-4 battle to the Badgers of the University of Wisconsin (14-7) before falling in five innings to the Salukis of Southern Illinois (6-14), 8-0.  
 
The Huskies recorded nine hits in the first game against Wisconsin, including five in the third inning.
 
The Huskies were outhit in the second game of the day, tallying only two hits as SIU grabbed 11 hits in their shutout win.
 
"We have to be better in every aspect of the game in order to compete and win. We'll get back at it tomorrow," said NIU head coach Kathryn Gleason.
 
Wisconsin Recap (Wisconsin 6, NIU 4)

Wisconsin got on the board quickly in the first inning as they recorded three runs off two hits. Madison Carlson (South Beloit, Ill./South Beloit) had pitching duties for the Huskies and issued two walks in the first inning.
 
Lia Nance (Oceanside, Calif./Oceanside) grabbed the Huskies first hit of the game, a double before recording an out try to advance to third. The Badgers pitcher matched Carlson in the first and issued two walks of her own.
 
The Huskies defense locked down in the second and third innings, with no hits and catching a Badger baserunner trying to steal second.
 
The Huskies offense came alive in the third as Jenna Turner (Marengo, Ill./Marengo) led off with a single. Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) had an RBI double to centerfield to send Turner across the plate for the first run of the game for NIU. Madison Mathews (Yuma, Ariz./Cibola) tied the game with her second home run of the season, a two-run home run to tie the game at three. Katy Ramage (Germantown Hills, Ill./Metamora Township) and Rylie Hartman (Kankakee, Ill./Herscher) quickly got on base with just one out in the inning as a Brianna Pechman (West Chicago, Ill./West Chicago Community) single loaded the bases. The Badgers recorded a double out to end the third inning.
 
Stewart recorded her second RBI double of the game in the fourth inning, sending Nance across home plate for the Huskies fourth run of the game.
 
Wisconsin tied the game back at four in the top of the fifth inning with two outs as the Huskies quickly recorded the final out to return to the plate. Wisconsin added a pair of runs in the sixth inning, taking the lead back at 6-4.
 
SIU Recap (SIU 8, NIU 0, 5 Innings)
 
Stewart recorded her third double on the day as the Huskies recorded just one hit in the first inning. Stewart, who went 2-for-2 at the plate, singled in the third inning for the final Huskie hit of the game.
 
The Salukis got one on the board in the bottom of the first before a big third inning, gave them a 5-0 lead over the Huskies. The Salukis added a pair of runs in the fourth inning before scoring the game-winning run in the fifth to hand the Huskies their second straight loss.

Stewart started the game in the pitcher's circle and allowed six hits and issued one walk. 
 
Huskie Highlights

• Stewart was the lone Huskie to record hits in both games as she went 4-of-5 at the plate.
• Stewart had two of the three Huskie strikeouts as Lily Cassell (LaGrange, Ohio/Keystone) had the other.
• Mathews recorded her second home run of the season in the first game.
• Three Huskies (Stewart, Mathews, and Pechman) batted above .333 in combined games.

 
The Huskies conclude action at day two of the Saluki Invitational on March 9 at 11 a.m. against Wisconsin before wrapping up at 4 p.m. against Southern Illinois.