KALAMAZOO, Mich.— Sweeping both games in a tightly contested doubleheader, the Northern Illinois University softball team defeated Western Michigan University Broncos (23-23, 12-11 MAC). The Huskies (16-5, 23-13 MAC) earned their first doubleheader sweep in Kalamazoo since 2002, winning 7–2 in the opener and 2–1 in the second game.
 
Izzi Hanna (Granger, Ind./Penn), Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East), and Kayla Estrada (Riverside, Calif./Martin Luther King) went 2-of-3 at the plate in the first game of the afternoon. Estrada had 4 RBIs in the game while Hanna scored two runs for the Huskies.
 
Stewart and Hanna were the only Huskies to score in both games. Stewart and Hanna have both scored in seven of the last nine games for the Huskies.
 
Madison Carlson (South Beloit, Ill./South Beloit) went the distance for the Huskies in game one, collecting her tenth win of the season and striking out four batters. Lily Cassell (La Grange, Ohio/Keystone) went the distance in the second game, collecting her fourth win of the season and striking out one batter.
 
"Our mentality is one foot at a time. We just look at the next game and take it one at a time. We are just focused on the next game," said NIU head coach Kathryn Gleason. "They battled each game. Winning is hard, and they battled through to get both victories today. We had some great plays on defense and had two great outings by Lily and Maddy today."
 
Game One Recap (NIU 7, WMU 2)
 
Back-to-back singles by Hanna and Stewart loaded the bases for the Huskies. Estrada had a base hit up the middle to score Hanna and Jenna Turner (Marengo, Ill./Marengo) for the first runs of the game. The Broncos defense struck out the next two batters before collecting the third out of the inning. Carlson issued a walk to the first Bronco batter before a double play gave NIU two outs early.  
 
Stewart opened the third inning of play with a triple to right field before Mallory Wollenmann (Evansville, Ind./Reitz Memorial) entered as a pinch runner. Wollenmann scored on a fielder's choice that saw Alana Powell (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood Academy) reach base. A single and hit-by-pitch loaded the bases for the Huskies with two outs before a fly out to left field ended the inning for the Huskies.
 
NIU collected back-to-back outs to start the bottom of the third before a solo home run by Bella Duncan put Western Michigan on the scoreboard. WMU doubled down the left field line before scoring their second run of the inning on a defensive error by the Huskies. Powell collected the final out of the inning for the Huskies as they led 3-2 after three innings of play.
 
The teams combined to allow just one hit through the fourth and sixth innings as the Huskies took a 3-2 lead heading into the final frame. Turner, who walked in the first inning, reached base again before Hanna joined her with a single. Stewart drew the second walk of the inning, and Estrada followed with her second hit of the game—a two-RBI single that brought home Hanna and Turner. Another Huskies single loaded the bases, and a pair of sacrifice flyouts plated the final two runs for NIU.
 
Game Two Recap (NIU 2, WMU 1)
 
A trio of Huskies were issued walks in the first inning to load the bases before the Broncos collected the final out of the inning.
 
Katy Ramage (Germantown Hills, Ill./Metamora Township) caught a flyout to center field in the bottom of the first before the Broncos got their first hit of the game. Turner and Estrada teamed up on the next play for a double play that ended the inning.
 
The Broncos defense went 1-2-3 against the Huskies in the top of the second before recording their second hit of the game. Ramage and Hanna collected outs as Morera fielded the final out to leave two Broncos on base.
 
A triple to center by Stewart brought Hanna home for the game's first run in the third inning. Two plays later, Stewart scored as Powell reached on a defensive error.
 
The Broncos responded with a triple in the bottom of the third before a sacrifice fly sent home a runner. Western Michigan goes 1-2-3 against the Huskie offense in the top of the fourth before Mia Morera (Simi Valley, Calif./Westlake) and Estrada team up for a double play to end the inning.
 
Cara Cruthers (Barlett, Ill./South Elgin) recorded the second hit of the game for the Huskies in the sixth as NIU was held to a season-low two hits in the game.
 
A triple to right-center put a Bronco on base before Lia Nance (Oceanside, Calif./Oceanside) hauled in a fly ball and fired across the diamond to Rylie Hartman (Kankakee, Ill./Herscher) for the second out. Nance then secured the final out of the game, sealing the sweep as the Huskies took both ends of the doubleheader.
 
The Huskies and Broncos will conclude the series tomorrow, April 26. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. CT at Ebert Field.
 
Never miss a minute of NIU Softball by visiting @NIUSoftball on Twitter/X, NIU Softball on Facebook, and @NIU_Softball on Instagram.