DeKALB — After rallying to defeat Massachusetts on Friday to open a three-game series, NIU split Saturday’s doubleheader with its new Mid-American Conference foe — securing the series win in their only matchups as league rivals.
The Huskies (11-10, 5-4 MAC) opened the day with an 11-2 pummeling in five innings before bouncing back with a narrow 5-4 victory over the Minutewomen (9-19, 2-7 MAC) in the second game.
Senior pitcher/first baseman Danielle “Dee Dee” Stewart shined at the plate despite a tough start in the circle to open Game 1. Stewart drove in four runs off three hits and scored a run of her own across both games — most of that production coming in Game 2.
Game 1: UMass 11, NIU 2 (5 innings)
NIU fell behind the 8-ball early, as Stewart walked the first three batters she faced before hitting the fourth to force in the game’s first run. Sophomore Taylor Mackin entered in relief of Stewart after just 22 pitches, but things only unraveled further from there.
Mackin allowed one run in the second inning before a disastrous third, during which the Minutewomen recorded four hits and scored eight runs. The Huskies also committed two defensive errors in the frame — both by shortstop Alana Powell — including one that allowed two runners to score.
Junior Hannah Bolly replaced Mackin in the third with NIU trailing 10-0 and helped the Huskies escape a bases-loaded jam, preventing the deficit from growing even larger. Bolly, however, surrendered a run on a wild pitch in the fourth to make it an 11-0 ball game.
NIU’s only scoring came in the final frame before the mercy rule took effect. Jenna Turner singled to bring home Ava Falcone from second and move Cara Cruthers to third. Two batters later, Stewart singled to score Cruthers.
Kayla Estrada then struck out swinging to close out the opening game.
“We didn’t start off the day very well,” head coach Kathryn Gleason said. “It started on the mound, but I thought we stayed in the game. We fought back. Things weren’t going our way, or we weren’t making things go our way, but I’m glad the way we responded in the second game.”
Game 2: NIU 5, UMass 4
In Game 2, the Huskies were once again forced to start from behind after UMass scored two runs in the opening frame. Starter Lily Cassell allowed two hits and two runs off a sacrifice fly and a fielder’s choice.
NIU’s offense responded with a four-run burst in the bottom of the first. After Turner and Lia Nance walked and stole second and third, respectively, Stewart drove them home with a double down the left-field line.
“I was just looking for something hard and in my zone,” Stewart said, “so trying to make a pitch work for me, and I found that pitch.”
Estrada promptly followed up with a home-run shot into left field, granting the Huskies a 4-2 lead. The Minutewoman then replaced their starter, Olivia Cutuli, with Hannah Streicher, who had tossed 121 pitches over six innings less than a day earlier.
UMass evened the score at 4-4 in the third, as Cassell allowed two more runs off three hits. Cassell surrendered one more hit in the fourth — her fifth of the game — before being relieved by Madison Carlson, fresh off a complete game in Friday’s series opener.
Carlson kept the Minutewomen off the board the rest of the game, permitting only one hit while striking out three batters.
“She’s just confident right now in all her pitches, and she wants the ball,” Gleason said of Carlson. “She shut it down, and she elevates everybody around her.”
The Huskies retook the lead in the fifth inning with Stewart second big hit of the game. After Turner tripled in the left field to open the side, Stewart singled up the middle to bat in her fourth run of the day.
Carlson retired UMass’ final six batters to close out the win and record her second save of the season.
