CARBONDALE, Ill.—Madison Mathews (Yuma, Ariz./Cibola) and Katy Ramage (Germantown Hills, Ill./Metamora Township) combined for six hits on the day as the Northern Illinois University Huskies softball team (5-12) were swept in action against the University of Wisconsin Badgers (16-7) and the Southern Illinois University Salukis (8-14). The Huskies fell to the Badgers via a walk-off homerun to lose 5-2 before dropping the nightcap to the Salukis, 4-1.
 
Wisconsin recorded six hits and held the Huskies to just two hits in the game.
 
The Huskies had nine hits as compared to the 11 hits from the Salukis in the second game.
 
"We continue to improve and grow as a team. It was a tough weekend against some good opponents in Wisconsin and Southern Illinois," said NIU head coach Kathryn Gleason. "We continue to move forward and be ready for the next game day."
 
Wisconsin Recap (Wisconsin 5, NIU 2)
 
It was a pitcher's battle through the first four innings with just a pair of hits being credited to Wisconsin. Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) was in the circle for the Huskies for six innings of play for the Huskies with two strikeouts in the first inning.
 
Mathews doubled to right center field for the first hit of the game for NIU as Brianna Pechman (West Chicago, Ill./West Chicago Community) scored the first run of the game for either side in the top of the fifth.
 
The Huskies' lead was short lived as the Badgers tied the game up at one in the bottom of the frame.
 
The Huskies loaded the bases in the top of the sixth on a fielder's choice by the Badgers. A second fielding error in the inning with no outs recorded sent Avery Carnahan (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) across the plate as the Huskies regained the lead. With bases loaded and no outs, the Badger defense stopped the Huskies with three straight outs to end the inning.
 
Matching the Huskies in the bottom of the sixth, Wisconsin loaded the bases before tying the game a second time in the sixth. Stewart recorded her final two strikeouts as Mia Morera (Simi Valley, Calif./Westlake) got the final out of the inning with bases loaded.
 
Ramage got the second hit of the day for the Huskies in the top of the seventh before being left stranded. In the bottom of the inning, Wisconsin got two runners on base before Hilary Blomberg had a walk-off three-run home run to left center field to end the game.
 
SIU Recap (SIU 4, NIU 1)
 
Jenna Turner (Marengo, Ill./Marengo) got the first hit of the game and was quickly joined on base by Stewart. An RBI single from Mathews sent Turner across the plate for the first run of the game before Ramage loaded the bases with the fourth hit of the inning. Turner's run would be the only run scored by the Huskies.
 
The Salukis tied the game in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run after the Huskies recorded two outs to start.
 
Mathews got her second hit of the game with Rylie Hartman singling down the left field line after the Huskies opened the third inning with a pair of outs. An interference call left the Huskies stranded and the game tied at one.
 
The Salukis added a trio of runs in the third and fourth innings to take a 4-1 lead over NIU.
 
Alana Powell (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood Academy) recorded her first hit of the season in the top of the sixth to join Ramage on base with two outs in the inning. The Saluki defense found the third out to end the inning and held the Huskies to just three hits in the final two innings to hand the Huskies their fourth straight loss.
 
 
Huskie Highlights

• Stewart recorded four strikeouts against Wisconsin.
• Mathews recorded her fifth double of the season in the first game
• Lily Cassell (LaGrange, Ohio/Keystone) recorded four strikeouts in four innings against SIU.

 
The Huskies continue action on the road as they compete at Saint Louis University for a neutral site game on March 11. The Huskies will face the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State at 2:30 p.m. before starting the home season on March 14-15 against Central Michigan.