ATHENS, Ohio— Northern Illinois University managed an early victory Saturday but ultimately settled for a doubleheader split, falling in the second game as the Ohio University Bobcats (19-11, 3-3 MAC) clinched the series. The Huskies (9-9, 3-3 MAC) took the first game 3-1 as they dropped the second game in five innings, 9-1.
 
Madison Carlson (South Beloit, Ill./South Beloit) had a career-best seven strikeouts in the first game as she recorded her third win of the season.
 
Izzi Hanna (Granger, Ind./Penn) was the only Huskie to record a multi-hit game in the second game of the doubleheader, going 2-of-3 at the plate.
 
"Maddy pitched a great game today in game one of the day. We played good defense behind her and did what we needed to at the plate to get the win," said NIU head coach Kathryn Gleason. "Game two, we did not stay within our plan at the plate and needed to be better on the mound and on defense to get the job done."
 
Game One Recap (NIU 3, Ohio 1)
 
Katy Ramage (Germantown Hills, Ill./Metamora Township) notched the Huskies' first hit of the game in the second inning with a triple to left field. She was later thrown out attempting to steal, and the Huskies were unable to produce another hit in the frame.
 
Ohio had back-to-back hits in the third inning as they broke onto the scoreboard first. With the bases loaded by the Bobcats and no outs, Carlson recorded three straight strikeouts to end the inning.
 
After the first Huskie reached base on a walk, the Bobcats collected the first out of the fourth inning. Ramage, who went x-x at the plate, recorded a single up the middle as NIU put two on. Kayla Estrada (Riverside, Calif./Martin Luther King) on a 1-1 count, sent the ball out left-center field for a three-run home run as the Huskies took the lead.
 
The Huskie defense closed out the fourth inning with back-to-back outs, setting the tone for the rest of the game. In the fifth, they worked out of a bases-loaded jam to keep the Bobcats off the board, then repeated the feat with consecutive outs to end the sixth. Jenna Turner (Marengo, Ill./Marengo) contributed to two of the final three outs as NIU secured a 3–1 victory to even the series.
 
Game Two Recap (NIU 1, Ohio 9 | 5 Innings)
 
Turner was hit by the ball in the first inning to reach base. She would score on an RBI double by Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) for the first run of the game.
 
Ohio led off the bottom of the first inning with a double to left center field. An error by the Huskie defense scored the first run for Ohio. Izzie Wilson of Ohio hit a three-run home run giving the Bobcats the lead. Jordyn Wycuff hit a home run during the next at bat for Ohio as they took a 5-1 lead over the Huskies.
 
Hanna recorded her first of two hits in the third inning before being joined on base by Ramage. The Bobcats defense stopped the Huskies from scoring as they left two runners stranded.
 
Ohio added three runs on four hits in the bottom of the third inning, extending their lead to seven.
 
Cara Cruthers (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) and Hanna recorded the final hits of the game for the Huskies as Ohio scored the ninth and final run on an RBI double in the fourth inning.

NIU begins a five-game homestand as they are set to welcome UMass and UIC to Mary M. Bell Field. The Huskies and Minutewomen of UMass play a three-game conference series starting on March 27. The Flames of UIC visit for a midweek non-conference match-up on March 31.
 
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