DeKALB, Ill.—Splitting a non-conference high-scoring doubleheader, the Northern Illinois University Huskies softball team hosted the Bradley Braves at Mary M. Bell Field this afternoon (April 14). The Huskies (19-12, 12-5 MAC) dropped the first game of the day, 14-8, before rebounding to win the second game 21-4 in five innings over the Braves (12-29, 5-12 MVC).
 
The 21 runs scored and RBIs in the second game broke the NIU school record for most runs and RBIs in a single game. The RBI record was set in 2025 against Buffalo (4/12/25) while the runs scored was set in 1982 (Indiana State) and 2025 (Buffalo, 4/12/25).
 
Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) went 3-for-3 at the plate in the first game and drove in a pair of runs. Kayla Estrada (Riverside, Calif./Martin Luther King) was 1-for-4 at the plate and drove in three runs.
 
In the second game, the Huskies tied their season high with three home runs. They also hit three against Bradley on February 22 and Ball State on April 8.
 
"I think we were just really seeing the ball and sticking to the plan," said NIU head coach Kathyrn Gleason. "They were just a lot more disciplined in game two to wait for their pitch and to drive it. I don't think we played to our standards in the first game defensively and you know we always talk about our standards and not playing the other team but playing to the standards of our program."
 
Game One Recap (NIU 8, Bradley 14)
 
Stewart, who started in the circle for the Huskies, struck out two batters in the first inning for NIU before recording the first hit of the game. Estrada hit an RBI single to send Jenna Turner (Marengo, Ill./Marengo) across for the first run of the game.
 
Bradley's Emily Organ hit a two-run home run as the second batter in the second inning before an RBI double scored the third run. The Braves hit a grand slam to go up 8-1 over the Huskies late in the inning.

After both teams were retired in order in the next half innings, Stewart delivered her sixth home run of the season, a two-run drive to left field.
 
The Braves added one run on two hits in the fourth, extending their lead to six at 9-3.
 
Katy Ramage (Germantown Hills, Ill./Metamora Township) doubled to left field before Lia Nance (Oceanside, Calif./Oceanside) hit a double to score Ramage. Nance scored on Turner's base hit to center field. A fielder's choice brought Estrada to base, scoring Turner and Izzi Hanna (Granger, Ind./Penn) as the Huskies brought the game within two at 9-7.
 
Mia Morera (Simi Valley, Calif./Westlake) hit a solo shot to left field to bring NIU within one at 9-8 to start the bottom of the fifth inning.
 
Bradley pushed across two runs on three hits in the sixth, stretching its advantage, and sealed things with a three-run inside-the-park homer in the seventh.
 
Game Two Recap (NIU 21, Bradley 4 | 5 Innings)
 
After retiring the side to start the game, Turner led the Huskies off with a single to center field. Stewart's base hit scored Turner for the first run of the game. Stewart scored on Alana Powell's (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood Academy) base hit to center field as the Huskies went up 2-1.
 
A sacrifice fly to left field scored the first run of the game for the Braves in the second inning as the Huskies recorded just one hit in the bottom frame.
 
Powell singled to score Mallory Wollenmann (Evansville, Ind./Reitz Memorial), and Ramage's double down the left-field line brought Powell home. Aubriella Garza (Montgomery, Ill./Oswego) added her first home run, a two-run drive to center. After NIU loaded the bases with two outs, Estrada hit a grand slam to left to extend the lead to nine. Powell closed the inning with the Huskies' third home run of the frame, a two-run shot to center that made it 12–1.
 
Tatum Kornfeind (McHenry, Ill./McHenry) singled to center field to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning for the Huskies before being joined on base by Natalie Miller (Fredonia, Wis./Ozaukee). Hanna hit an infield single to load the bases before Ava Falcone (Elk Grove Village, Ill./James B. Contant) had a two-RBI single to left field. The Huskies continued to add runs onto the scoreboard as Powell tripled to right field, sending two Huskies across the plate. A trio of RBI singles put the final three runs on the scoreboard as the Huskies led 21-1 going into the fifth inning.
 
Bradley led the fifth inning off with a solo home run to left field before scoring their final runs on double. Lily Cassell (LaGrange, Ohio/Keystone) struck out the final batter as the Huskies took the second game.
 
"Heading into Bowling Green this weekend, it's the same message that we've been preaching," noted Gleason. "It's just the standards of the program and you know getting ready for the next practice, the next game, the next opponent. Proud of how they responded today and how Lily did in game two."
 
The Huskies return to action as they travel to Bowling Green on April 17-18 for a three-game MAC series. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. CT on April 17.
 
Never miss a minute of NIU Softball by visiting @NIUSoftball on Twitter/X, NIU Softball on Facebook, and @NIU_Softball on Instagram.