NIU softball took a trip to the University at Buffalo this weekend for a three-game series. After taking a loss Friday, the Huskies came back with a vengeance Saturday afternoon.
Game 1 saw the Huskies persevere offensively to take the lead from the Bulls in the sixth inning. Junior pitcher Lily Cassell helped NIU secure their first win of the weekend after striking out 10 batters. Her efforts, alongside a prevailing offense, locked down a 5-3 victory for the Huskies.
After taking Game 1, NIU’s offense came down with batting fever, and the entire lineup caught the bug. Senior middle infielder/outfielder Jenna Turner broke the NIU softball record for most runs scored in a single game, tacking five on the board. The Huskies (14-22, 9-8 MAC) won 20-2 in five innings to take the three-game series over the Bulls (9-26, 4-10 MAC).
“I couldn’t have done it without the girls hitting me in,” Turner said. “Kudos to them.”
Turner went 3/5 in Game 1, picking up 1 run and 1 RBI. Game 2 is where Turner etched her name into the history books, scoring five runs within five innings. She went 4/4 at the plate, including a triple in the third inning, and racked up five RBIs. Turner credited her team and their energy for the success they fought for today.
“We just kept going,” Turner said. “After one girl got a hit, our dugout just kept erupting. I want to give a huge shoutout to (utility Mia Morera), our freshman, and her first career hit. Everyone just erupted, and it was truly amazing. Our chemistry that we have on the team is unmatched. We’re all doing this together for something bigger.”
NIU softball head coach Kathryn Gleason was proud of the team for showcasing the offense she knows they have in the chamber.
“The offense came alive, and that’s what we’re capable of doing every game,” Gleason said. “We talked about standards for ourselves because we know what we’re capable of, and we’re prepared. It’s just executing. Preparation is what leads the expectations, and it’s what leads to execution. When they see those results and see those runs on the board, we hope that gives them confidence to keep going.”
The Huskies recorded 19 hits across nine batters in Game 2, and none of the 18 total batters in the game struck out.
Cassell (6-7) pitched through Game 1 and kept NIU ahead with her performance in the circle. Along with her 10 strikeouts, she walked three batters. Cassell let 7 hits and two runs get past her. She said her confidence helped her lock in, and the offense helped her pull out the victory.
“I felt pretty good, felt confident,” Cassell said. “It was a good battle between our offense and theirs. Both teams were putting the ball in play. I just tried to do my job and have as many shut-down innings as possible. That way, we could come back in and get some more hits.”
Senior first/third baseman Madison Mathews stayed hot at the plate all day, going 4/4 in Game 1 and 2/5 in Game 2. Mathews sent a dinger out of left center field in the fifth inning to record her fifth homer of the season. She said she knew it was out of the park after it came off of the bat.
“I did know it was going out,” Mathews said. “I was on time. Right off the bat, I was like ‘oh yeah, that’s gone.’”
Mathews said winning game one gave NIU the confidence to fire on offense.
“After our first win of the day, it really allowed us to just trust in our training,” Mathews said. “We played free. We came out of the gate swinging, and it worked out in our favor today.”
UP NEXT
The Huskies return home to their Black Out game against Bradley University. They take the field at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Mary M. Bell Field.
