DeKALB, Ill. -- Taking the first game of the weekend, the Northern Illinois University softball team opened the series with a 3–1 win over the University of Toledo Rockets on Friday afternoon (May 1) at Mary M. Bell Field. The Huskies (24–15, 17–6 MAC) broke through in the sixth, stringing together three runs on three hits to secure the victory over the Rockets (14–34, 10–15 MAC).
Madison Carlson (South Beloit, Ill./South Beloit) went the distance, collecting her 11th win of the season as she marked a new career-best eight strikeouts.
Rylie Hartman (Kankakee, Ill./Herscher) went 2-of-3 at the plate scoring a run while
Katy Ramage (Germantown Hills, Ill./Metamora Township) went 1-of-3 at the plate, driving in two runs.
"Hitting is contagious. Rylie started it off for us earlier in the game but Kayla really started it off for us in the sixth. We just keep talking about passing the bat, that's our mentality," said NIU head coach Kathryn Gleason. "Maddy has continued to do a great job and keep us in the game. It's always good to start with a win, it's hard to win. We'll come out tomorrow and honor the seniors and then get back to work."
How It Happened
Carlson started her career day early, striking out four batters in the first two innings while the Huskie defense allowed just one hit.
Both teams settled into a defensive rhythm through four innings, combining for only four hits and six total strikeouts.
Toledo threatened in the fifth after a pair of singles put two runners aboard, but Carlson shut the door with her third strikeout of the inning.
NIU managed just one hit in the fifth before breaking through in the sixth.
Kayla Estrada (Riverside, Calif./Martin Luther King) opened the scoring with a solo home run to left field. Hartman followed with a single to left and was joined on base by
Alana Powell (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood Academy). Ramage then doubled to center, driving in both runners to give the Huskies a 3–0 lead heading into the final inning.
Toledo cut into the lead with a solo home run to left to start the seventh, but the NIU defense handled the final three outs to secure the win.
The Huskies will conclude the series on May 2 with a doubleheader set for 1 p.m. The NIU softball program will honor their eight seniors prior to the game.
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