MEMPHIS, Tenn.—Sweeping action today, the Northern Illinois University softball program defeated North Carolina A&T and Morehead State at the Blues City Invitational, hosted by Memphis. The Huskies (3-4) won in walk-off fashion against North Carolina A&T (6-9), winning 8-7 before taking down Morehead State (0-6) in six innings, 11-3.
 
Jenna Turner (Marengo, Ill./Marengo), Katy Ramage (Germantown Hills, Ill./Metamora Township), and Mia Morera (Simi Valley, Calif./Westlake) all went 2-for-4 at the plate in the first game of the day against North Carolina A&T.
 
In the matchup with Morehead State, Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) led the offense with a 2-for-3 day and two runs scored. She was joined by Izzi Hanna (Granger, Ind./Penn), who also posted a multi-hit effort, going 2-for-3 at the plate.
 
"Two great team wins today," said NIU head coach Kathryn Gleason. "We were resilient and determined to stay in our process and get the wins."
 
North Carolina A&T Recap (NIU 8, North Carolina A&T 7)
 
Ramage recorded the first hit of the game for either side, doubling to left-center field in the bottom of the second inning. Morera reached on a fielder's choice before stealing second base after Ramage advanced on a wild pitch. An Alana Powell (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood Academy) RBI single brought Ramage home for the first run of the game.
 
The Aggies tied the game up in the third on an RBI single as they recorded three hits in the game.

Turner had the lone hit of the third inning for the Huskies before Morera added a hit in the fourth. Powell sent her second runner across home plate as Morera put NIU back in front in the fourth. Ally Rodriguez (Romeoville, Ill./Plainfield East) scored as Jaylyn Brister (Columbia, Ill./Columbia) reached on the second fielding error by the Aggies defense.
 
Stewart added the fourth run of the game in the fifth inning after reaching base via a walk.
 
The Aggies scored two runs on two hits in the top of the sixth, trimming NIU's lead to just one. In the bottom frame, Turner recorded an RBI single to send Powell across the plate.
 
North Carolina A&T loaded the bases in the seventh inning before Jaden James hit a grand slam to give them the lead for the first time in the game.
 
Stewart answered the Aggies home run with a solo home run to lead off the Huskies in the bottom of the inning. Kayla Estrada (Riverside, Calif./Martin Luther King) and Ramage had back-to-back singles with no outs before Morera doubled to center field as Cara Cruthers (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) scored from second base. Natale Miller reached on a fielding error by the Aggies defense as Ramage scored the walk-off winner for the Huskies.
 
Hannah Bolly collected the win for the Huskies, issuing just two walks. Madison Carlson (South Beloit, Ill./South Beloit) recorded three strikeouts in the win.
 
Morehead State Recap (NIU 11, Morehead State 3, 6 Innings)
 
Turner led the Huskies off with a single up the middle before being joined on base by Rylie Hartman (Kankakee, Ill/Herscher) reach via an error. Stewart hit an RBI double to send Turner home as an Estrada groundout set Hartman across in the next play. Ramage hit an RBI single through the right side of the infield for Stewart to cross home plate. Ramage and Hanna each recorded stolen bases in the first frame and Ramage added the fourth run of the game.
Hartman had the Huskies lone hit of the second inning, a double to left-center field.
 
Morehead State broke through in the third inning with an RBI double, collecting two hits in the frame. The Eagles tightened the margin again in the top of the fourth, launching a two-run homer that cut the NIU lead to one.
 
Hanna and Powell opened the fourth inning with back-to-back singles, and Powell quickly added a stolen base to her stat line. Brister entered as a pinch hitter and reached on a fielding error, allowing Hanna to come home with NIU's fifth run. Powell followed her across the plate on the next play as Turner reached first. Estrada then punched a two-RBI single through the right side, driving in Rodriguez and Turner to cap the inning.
 
Tatum Kornfeind (McHenry, Ill./McHenry) made her debut in the Huskie uniform in the sixth inning with a single through the right side of the infield to reach base. She was then joined on base by Stewart after an infield single to third base. Ava Falcone (Elk Grove Village, Ill./James B. Contant) hit a 2 RBI double to left-center field to send Kornfeind and Stewart across as the Huskies took a 10-3 lead with only one out in the inning. Jamie Saran (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central) also made her debut this evening, with an RBI double to left field to send Falcone across the plate for the game winner.
 
Lily Cassell (LaGrange, Ohio/Keystone) started for the Huskies in the circle, going 3.2 innings and recording five of the seven strikeouts for NIU.
 
The Huskies conclude their time in Memphis on February 22 as they take on Bradley. First pitch is slated for 9 a.m.
 
Never miss a minute of NIU Softball by visiting @NIUSoftball on Twitter/X, NIU Softball on Facebook, and @NIU_Softball on Instagram.