MUNCIE, Ind.—Firing on all cylinders, the Northern Illinois University Huskies softball team (10-20, 5-6 MAC) swept the Ball State University Cardinals (21-10, 6-4 MAC) in a midweek doubleheader this afternoon. The Huskies posted a 2-1 score in the first game before scoring three runs in the second game to win 3-2.
This is the first time the Huskies have won back-to-back games against the Cardinals since the 2019-2021 seasons (4/10/2019-5/4/2021). The last time the Huskies swept the Cardinals in the same season was 2018.
It was a pitcher's dual in the first game as
Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) and Ball State's Ella Whitney issued a combined seven walks and10 strikeouts. Stewart did not allow a hit until the bottom of the fifth. Stewart recorded seven strikeouts to match her season best for the third time.
Lily Cassell (La Grange, Ohio/Keystone) went the distance in the second game, allowing four hits and striking out three batters.
Jenna Turner (Marengo, Ill./Marengo) has recorded hits in the last three games for the Huskies and has hits in 10 of the last 12 games for NIU.
Alana Powell (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood Academy) and
Kayla Estrada (Riverside, Calif./Martin Luther King) join Turner has the only Huskies to record hits in both games today.
"It was a pair of complete team wins today. Dee Dee (
Danielle Stewart) and Lily (Cassell) set the tone on the mound in both games and everything started to come together," said NIU head coach Kathryn Gleason. "There was a calmness about them today when they were at the plate and on the field. They executed the plan on all aspects. Our focus is to keep doing what we are doing and trusting in the process and being ready for the weekend."
Game One Recap (NIU 2, Ball State 1)
Back-to-back singles were how the Huskies started the first game as Turner and
Lia Nance (Oceanside, Calif./Oceanside) reached base. The Huskies saw a pair of ground outs to end the inning as they left two on base. The Huskie defense responded after two Cardinals reached base and left them stranded in the first.
Stewart recorded the first strikeouts of the day as she struck out three of the four batters in the second inning.
Rylie Hartman (Kankakee, Ill./Herscher) saw the third hit of the day for NIU come in the fourth inning as the Huskies were unable to convert the hit to a run. The Cardinals collected their first hits in fifth and sixth innings as the NIU defense held the Cardinals from scoring.
After
Katy Ramage (Germantown Hills, Ill./Metamora Township) reached via walk, Powell singled for the fourth hit of the game. Estrada reached on a fielder's choice as Ramage scored the first run of the game for NIU with only one out in the top of the seventh. Powell scored on the fielder's choice by the Cardinal defense as
Natalie Miller (Fredonia, Wis./Ozaukee) reached for the Huskies.
The Cardinals responded with their first batter in the seventh inning as Maia Pietrzak homered to left-center field.
Taylor Mackin (Minooka, Ill./Minooka Community) collected her second save of the game, coming in during the seventh inning. Mackin gave up only two hits after a pair of groundouts before Powell fielded the final ball of the game for an out as the Huskies ended a four-game winning streak by the Cardinals.
Game Two Recap (NIU 3, Ball State 2)
Turner mirrored her start in the second game with a single through the right side as she reached base for the Huskies.
Ball State's Pietrzak put the Cardinals up by one in the first as she hit her second home run of the day against the Huskies with no outs in the inning. Ball State saw their next five batters retired as they left one on base in the second inning.
Stewart hit an RBI double to right-center field as
Ally Rodriguez (Romeoville, Ill./Plainfield East) scored the first run for the Huskies. The Huskies recorded three hits in the third inning as they left two on base with a tie game.
Estrada hit her first career home run in the fourth inning, a two-run hit to left field as the Huskies took a 3-1 lead over the Cardinals. Estrada's run brought home Powell, who had reached on a single to right field. Miller doubled to center field before the Cardinals forced two outs to end the inning.
Cassell retired nine consecutive batters before hitting the Cardinals batter in the bottom of the fifth. The Huskies were held to just two hits in the final three innings of the game.
Ball State hit their second home run of the game in the bottom of the seventh with no outs. Cassell collected a strikeout while Stewart recorded the final out of the game as the Huskies swept Ball State. Cassell marked her fifth complete game of the season for NIU.
The Huskies return to the ballpark on April 5-6 as they are set to host Bowling Green for a three-game series. First game of a doubleheader is set for 1 p.m. CT on April 5 at Mary M. Bell Field in DeKalb, Illinois.
