DeKALB, Ill. — Splitting the conference opener, the Northern Illinois University Huskies battled the University at Buffalo Bulls in a doubleheader this afternoon (March 13) at Mary M. Bell. The Huskies (7-7, 1-1 MAC) took the opening game 14-7 before falling in the second game to the Bulls (8-15, 1-1 MAC) 11-10.
 
Alana Powell (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood Academy) led the Huskies at the plate, going 3-of-4 with three runs. Mia Morera (Simi Valley, Calif./Westlake) went 2-of-3 at the plate with a pair of runs for the Huskies in the opening game.
 
In the second game, Izzi Hanna (Granger, Ind./Penn) went 4-of-5 at the plate and scored three runs. Jenna Turner (Marengo, Ill./Marengo), Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East), and Rylie Hartman (Kankakee, Ill./Herscher) all recorded two hits in the game for the Huskies as NIU recorded their third straight game with double-digit hits.
 
"It was to great to back home at Mary Bell Field," said NIU head coach Kathryn Gleason. "I thought we played, you know, well in the first game and did what we needed to do and kept battling back, you know, despite the difficult weather conditions. We'll get back out there tomorrow and keep fighting."
 
Game One Recap (NIU 14, Buffalo 7)
 
Buffalo's Abbey Nagel hit a two-run home run in the first inning as the Bulls took a 2-0 lead.
 
Mallory Wollenmann (Evansville, Ind./Reitz Memorial) scored the first run of the game for the Huskies as Powell singled for NIU's first hit of the game. A Hartman RBI single brought Morera across the plate for the tying run. Powell scored the third run of the game on a sacrifice fly from Hanna before Stewart would send two more Huskies across the board. Katy Ramage (Germantown Hills, Ill./Metamora Township) hit her second home run of the season, sending the ball to left field as she scored Stewart on the play.
 
The Bulls added two runs on two hits in the third inning as the Huskies lead 7-4.
 
Powell doubled to left field in the fourth inning before scoring on a Lia Nance (Oceanside, Calif./Oceanside) RBI single. Alanah Velazquez (Pembroke Pines, Fla./Pembroke Pines Charter) scored on an RBI bunt from Hanna. At the next at bat, Stewart hit a two-RBI single to center field as the Huskies took an 11-4 lead.
 
Powell scored in the bottom of the fourth inning to answer a top of the inning run from Buffalo.
 
Buffalo added two runs on two hits in the sixth inning, trimming NIU's lead to 12-7.
 
The Huskies started the sixth inning with back-to-back singles before Trinity Jones Estrada (Sylmar, Calif./John F. Kennedy) scored for the Huskies. Morera scored the final run of the game for the Huskies in the bottom of the inning.
 
Madison Carlson (South Beloit, Ill./South Beloit) went all seven innings, issuing five walks in the game.
 
Game Two Recap (NIU 10, Buffalo 11)
 
Buffalo scored the opening run of the second game on an RBI single in the first inning.
 
Stewart hit her third home run of the game in the first inning, a two-run home run that scored Hanna as NIU took a 2-1 lead. An RBI single by Hanna in the second inning scored Turner as NIU extended their lead.
 
Buffalo had four straight hits in the third as they scored four runs on six hits as they recaptured the lead from NIU. The Bulls added a run in the fourth inning.
 
A lead-off home run from Hartman started the fourth inning for the Huskies. Nance reached base on a single up the middle before stealing home for the fifth run of the game. Hanna scored on an RBI single from Stewart to tie the game at six.
 
Buffalo grabbed the lead in the fifth inning on a two-RBI single, then later broke the game open with a three-RBI double that pushed the score to 11–6.
 
Hanna and Nance scored in the sixth inning for the Huskies as NIU recorded just one hit in the inning.
 
Powell, who reached base via a walk, scored late in the seventh inning on an RBI single from Hanna. Cara Cruthers (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) scored the final run of the game on a sacrifice fly by Stewart.
 
The Huskies and Bulls will conclude the series on March 14 with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m. Admission is always free.
 
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