NIU softball (1-2) fell 9-1 in six innings to the defending national champions, No. 2 University of Texas Longhorns (9-1) on Sunday in Austin, Texas.
“It was a great opportunity for our team today to play the reigning national champions in their stadium,” NIU head coach Kathryn Gleason said. “It was a special day to have the Stewart sisters square off against each other for the first time in their college careers.”
The Longhorns struck first, hitting a sacrifice fly to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Later on in the inning, junior catcher/infielder Katie Stewart extended their lead with a two-run home run.
The home run came against her sister, NIU senior pitcher/utility player Danielle Stewart.
Texas lengthened their lead to 6-0 in the third and fourth innings, with RBI hits from senior outfielder Kaiah Altmeyer and freshman infielder MaTaia Lawson.
A home run in the fifth inning by freshman infielder Jaycie Nichols extended the Longhorns’ lead to seven.
The Huskies put a run on the board in the top of the sixth inning after senior catcher/utility player Trinity Jones Estrada scored on a fielding error.
The Longhorns responded in the bottom of the sixth by pushing across two more runs, which sealed the win for Texas.
Stewart made the start for NIU, tossing only 1 inning while giving up 3 earned runs on 1 hit and 1 walk and striking out one.
Sophomore pitcher/second baseman Taylor Mackin was the only Huskie pitcher to not give up an earned run, pitching 1 inning while giving up 1 hit and issuing a lone walk.
Junior pitcher Hannah Bolly pitched 1 out in the third inning, giving up 1 earned run on 2 hits and 2 walks.
Senior pitcher Lily Cassell and graduate student pitcher Madison Carlson each worked 1.2 innings, giving up 2 and 3 earned runs, respectively.
“Overall, we learned a lot about our team in the 3 games we were able to play in Austin,” Gleason said. “We competed and believed in the work we had put in during the fall and the past few weeks. We will build upon that as we prepare to take the field next week in Memphis with another strong field of opponents.”
UP NEXT
The Huskies return to action at 3 p.m. Friday in Memphis, Tennessee, against the University of Kentucky. Live stats will be updated on StatBroadcast.
