DeKALB, Ill.— With a combined 25 hits, the Northern Illinois University softball team swept the doubleheader this afternoon against Kent State University. The Huskies (17-11, 11-5 MAC) posted their second straight walk-off win, taking the first game 9-8 over the Golden Flashes (17-21, 7-10 MAC). A pair of grand slams in the second inning of game two led to a five-inning 15-3 victory.
 
Rylie Hartman (Kankakee, Ill./Herscher) went 2-for-2 at the plate, scored twice, and drove in two runs for the Huskies in the opening game. Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) had just one hit in the game, going 1-for-4, as her lone hit would be the walk-off run for the Huskies.
 
The Huskies scored 10 runs in the second inning of the second game behind grand slams from Mia Morera (Simi Valley, Calif./Westlake) and Jenna Turner (Marengo, Ill./Marengo).
 
This is the first time in the last three seasons that the Huskies have won back-to-back games via walk-off and saw a pair of grand slams in the same inning.
 
NIU's 14 hits in the second game today were the third most this season.
 
"At the beginning of the year, we were just trying to win two in a row," said NIU head coach Kathryn Gleason. "Just the resiliency, like in the first game, you know, to tie it and then give up a three-run home run and to come back. We talk about believing in each other and in the team. And that's what we've been going off of, they are just so resilient. Dee Dee was struggling at the beginning of the game. She is such a competitor, and she wants to win for her team. And that's who you want to bat for your team."
 
Game One Recap (NIU 9, Kent State 8)
 
Kent State struck first, scoring on a sacrifice fly in the second inning.
 
Alana Powell (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood Academy) led the Huskies off in the bottom half of the frame, reaching on a walk. Powell scored the Huskies opening run on a sacrifice flyout to tie the game.
 
Kent State scored four runs off four hits in the fourth inning to take a 5-1 lead over the Huskies
 
Powell doubled to center field to score Morera for the Huskies second run in the fourth inning. In the next at-bat, Hartman singled to center field, scoring Powell as the Huskies trailed by two.
 
NIU kept the Golden Flashes from scoring in the next two innings as Powell reached via defensive error to start off the sixth inning. Hartman doubled to center field to send Powell across the plate. Lia Nance (Oceanside, Calif./Oceanside) reached via an error as Hartman scored the tying run. A third defensive error by Kent State loaded the bases with just one out in the inning before Kent State collected the final two outs.
 
Kent State's first two batters of the seventh inning were hit by pitch before Caleigh Shaulis hit a three-run home run to center field to take an 8-5 lead over the Huskies.
 
Starting with a Morera walk, the Huskies first run came on a Katy Ramage (Germantown Hills, Ill./Metamora Township) RBI single to right field. A groundout advanced the Huskie runners before a wild pitch by Kent State sent Hartman across the plate. Ramage scored the tying run on a Turner (3-of-5) RBI single. Stewart hit her 12th double of the season for the walk-off win as Turner scored the game-winning run.
 
Madison Carlson (South Beloit, Ill./South Beloit) pitched 3.2 inning for the Huskies and collected a pair of strikeouts in the win.
 
Game Two Recap (NIU 15, Kent State 3 | 5 Innings)
 
Kent State scored on back-to-back singles in the first inning as they collected two hits.
 
Izzi Hanna (Granger, Ind./Penn) singled to center field for the Huskies first hit of the game that was followed by a Stewart infield single. Kayla Estrada (Riverside, Calif./Martin Luther King) had an RBI double that scored Hanna and Stewart to tie the game. Morera had the fourth hit of the inning, a single, before Powell reached on a fielder's choice that scored Estrada. Morera stole home before a sacrifice hit from Hartman scored Powell for the fifth run of the inning.
 
The Huskie defense went 1-2-3 in the second inning as Hanna led the Huskies off in the bottom half with a single. A pair of walks loaded the bases as Morera hit a grand slam with no outs in the inning. NIU saw back-to-back singles as a walk to load the bases a second time as Nance reached on a fielder's choice for the first out of the inning. Turner hit her first home run of the season, a grand slam as the Huskies extended their lead to 13-2. NIU added their final two runs of the inning on a walk and fielder's choice before the Golden Flashes collected the final two outs.
 
Kent State scored their final run of the game in the top of the third on a passed ball.
 
Taylor Mackin (Minooka, Ill./Minooka Community) pitched two innings for the Huskies and recorded a strikeout. Stewart saw three innings of action and had five strikeouts for NIU.
 
"Got to give props to Coach Pasquale," noted Gleason." She gives them a plan, and they trust it and believe in it. They were disciplined in their at bats and just pass the bat mentality. I had a feeling when she (Jenna) stepped into the box to bat. We are one step at a time and take control of what you can."
 
The Huskies and Golden Flashes will conclude the series on April 12 with first pitch set for 12 p.m.
 
Stay up-to-date with NIU Softball by visiting @NIUSoftball on Twitter/X, NIU Softball on Facebook, and @NIU_Softball on Instagram.