Just over halfway through its season, NIU softball sports a 15-22 record, 9-8 in the Mid-American Conference. While the Huskies have seen high points, the squad has subsequently seen some pretty harsh lows.
While certain players have shown bright promise and NIU has seen success in conference, the Huskies have failed to pull out close games consistently this season.
Here are three of my greatest takeaways just over halfway through the Huskies’ spring season.
PROMISING PLAYMAKERS
Senior middle infielder and outfielder Jenna Turner and junior utility player Danielle “Dee Dee” Stewart have both shined this season, emerging as two of the teams’ most promising players.
The duo is coming off a historic weekend after Turner set history with 5 runs amid NIU’s 20-2 victory against the University at Buffalo on Saturday. Furthermore, Turner leads the team in hits and batting average.
As for Stewart, she logged 7 RBIs over the weekend to nab MAC Player of the Week on Wednesday. Stewart has been a phenom since arriving in DeKalb and the two-way player has been vital to the Huskies this season.
Together, the pair helped break a school record, putting up the most runs in a single game in NIU history.
Aside from the two, other players have shined, including senior pitcher Madison Carlson and senior third and first basemen Madison Mathews.
Mathews is second on the team in batting average and Carlson sports the Huskies’ best pitching record.
FAULTY FINISHES
Although the Huskies have had stars emerge, they have struggled to light up the scoreboard — especially toward the end of games.
Of the Huskies 22 losses, 10 were by less than three points.
One reason for the Huskies’ faulty finishes is their weak on-base percentage, which lays at the conference’s floor. Furthermore, in multiple games, multiple runners are routinely left on base.
Time and time again, NIU battles have failed to capitalize in the games’ most pivotal moments — plaguing the Huskies in tight-scoring contests.
CONFERENCE SUCCESS
While the Huskies don’t have a winning record overall, they haven’t been a slouch in the MAC. Sitting with a winning record in the MAC, the Huskies are 6-14 against out of conference opponents.
NIU has also been getting hot in the conference recently, claiming seven victories in their last nine conference matchups.
The Huskies’ success within the MAC this season has led to NIU stepping into fifth place in the conference — enough for an appearance in the MAC tournament if the season ended today.
All in all, NIU has the tools to make noise in the conference heading into the final stretch of the Huskies’ 2025 season and has shown great promise. If the Huskies can continue to improve their scoring and ability to close games, they will be a force to be reckoned with.
Currently, NIU faces four series against MAC opponents ahead of the MAC Tournament slated to begin on May 7.
