MEMPHIS, Tenn.—Mia Morera (Simi Valley, Calif./Westlake) launched the first and third home runs of the day as the Northern Illinois University softball team (4–4) powered past Bradley University (4–9), 10–5, in the final game of the Blues City Invitational for NIU.
Katy Ramage (Germantown Hills, Ill./Metamora Township) added the second NIU homer, with Ramage and Morera combining to drive in seven of the Huskies' 10 runs.
Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East), Ramage, Morera, and
Izzi Hanna (Granger, Ind./Penn) all recorded multi-hit games for the Huskie offense.
"They are resilient. (Today and yesterday), we put up runs on the board and the other team fought back. But we just kept our foot on the gas," said NIU head coach Kathryn Gleason. "We have some positions changes we are still getting in and out. We asked our pitchers to give us a chance and they did. (It wasn't) easy conditions with the wind and the temperature but we got it done."
Stewart hit a double to right-center field for the first hit of the game for NIU before being brought home on a
Kayla Estrada (Riverside, Calif./Martin Luther King) RBI single. After Ramage reached base on a defensive error, Morera hit a 3-run shot to deep left field as NIU took an early 4-0 lead.
Stewart stepped into the circle for the Huskies recording a pair of strikeouts to end the first inning. Stewart added her third strikeout of the game in the second inning after Bradley pushed one run across.
Stewart singled to lead off the third inning before being called out in the next play as Estrada reached via fielder's choice. Ramage marked her first home run of the season, a 2-run shot to deep center field to bring home
Mallory Wollenmann (Evansville, Ind./Reitz Memorial) and give the Huskies a 6-1 lead.
With two outs on the board, Bradley's Ashley Breeding hit a 2-run home run to deep center field, trimming NIU's lead to just three in the third.
The Braves defense got a pair of quick outs to start the fourth inning before
Jenna Turner (Marengo, Ill./Marengo) doubled to left center field.
Rylie Hartman (Kankakee, Ill./Herscher) hit an RBI double down the left field line to send Turner across home plate for the seventh run of the game.
Breeding hit her second 2-run homer of the afternoon in the fifth inning as NIU's lead dropped to just two at 7-5.
Ramage had the first hit of the seventh inning, a single through the right side of the infield before Morera stepped up to the plate. Morera sent the ball deep to left field for her second home run of the game, scoring Ramage on the play.
Ava Falcone (Elk Grove Village, Ill./James B. Contant) hit an RBI single through the left side of the infield as
Natalie Miller (Fredonia, Wis./Ozaukee) scored the tenth run of the game for the Huskies.
Madison Carlson (South Beloit, Ill./South Beloit) recorded two strikeouts in the final inning as the Huskies won their third straight game. Carlson, Stewart, and
Lily Cassell (LaGrange, Ohio/Keystone) accounted for six strikeouts in the victory.
"We are trying to learn who we are after eight games, and we are starting to figure it out. There's stuff we still need to work on, but we are excited to get back to work and get ready for Purdue," said Gleason.
The Huskies return to the field on March 6-8 as they compete at the Boilermaker Spring Classic, hosted by Purdue. NIU will take on the hosts at 4 p.m. on March 6 in West Lafayette, Indiana.
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