Softball | April 6

DeKALB, Ill.— Beginning an eight-game homestand, the Northern Illinois University Huskies softball team will host Ball State University for a three-game series starting April 7. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Mary M. Bell Field. The series concludes with a doubleheader on April 8 beginning at 1 p.m.
 
The Huskies swept the series last year, winning both games in Muncie with a 3-2 and 2-1 victory. NIU holds the series lead at 55-40. The April 7 game will feature $2 hot dogs at the concessions stand.
 
The Huskies (12-11, 6-5 MAC) are coming off a weekend where they split action with Central Michigan in a doubleheader on April 3. The Huskies took the first game 5-1 behind an Alana Powell (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood Academy) solo home run and a 3 RBI double in the seventh by Kayla Estrada (Riverside, Calif./Martin Luther King). Madison Carlson (South Beloit, Ill./South Beloit) pitched her fourth complete game of the season and struck out three batters in the Huskies 5-1 win. NIU would drop the second game of the doubleheader before weather forced the third game to be cancelled.
 
The Cardinals of Ball State (15-17, 3-9 MAC) are coming from a three-game series against Ohio as they went 1-2 in the series. Lindsey DeRoeck leads the Cardinals at the plate, hitting .400 with 42 hits this season. Ella Whitney leads the team with 10 home runs as she and DeRoeck are two of four Cardinals to hit about .333 this season. In the circle, Brinkley Kita leads the squad with a 3.00 ERA while Birdie Murphy leads the team with 34 strikeouts.
 
Senior Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) leads the MAC at the plate, hitting .471 this season while freshman Izzi Hanna (Granger, Ind./Penn) sits just outside the top-10 in the conference at .391. Three additional Huskies are hitting above .324 as the Huskies are third in conference for batting average at .324. Carlson leads the team and the MAC with a 2.29 ERA and 43 strikeouts.
 
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