Tuesday’s doubleheader for the NIU softball team was a mixed bag as the Huskies lost one and then didn’t win, but didn’t lose, the nightcap.

NIU, playing it’s 1990 season home-opener(s) against Bradley couldn’t hold a lead in the first game of Tuesday’s doubleheader, falling 5-4.

After trailing early, coach Dee Abrahamson’s squad (6-11-1) battled to a 4-4 tie in the closer, only to have the game called after eight innings due to darkness.

The Huskies jumped on Bradley (6-12-1) in the opener for four runs in their first home at-bat. The Huskies’ Julie Sexton started the NIU run-parade with an RBI single. The Braves’ pitcher, Sharon Kempf, was in a charitable mood as she put on the next three Huskie batters, forcing in the second run.

A BU error allowed two more runs to close the NIU scoring in the inning, and unfortunately for NIU, the game.

Bradley pushed across one run in the third and a pair in both the fifth and seventh innings to earn the win.

The Huskies never lead in the closer, but scored the contests’ last three runs to avert the sweep. Bradley got on the board first with a run in the second off of Marie Leake. The Huskies answered with a tying score in their half of the second.

The Braves scored three runs in the next inning to take a 4-1 lead, but the Huskies responded with a single run in the fourth and then tied the contest with a pair in the fifth.

Lori Reimer’s single scored Lisa Gilfoy and Heidi Hutchison tallied when Bradley’s throw to the plate skipped past the BU catcher. The Huskies, however, couldn’t push Reimer across with only one out and had to settle for a tie after five.

With the score still knotted after the regulation seven innings, the game continued, but not for long. Darkness caused the game to end in a four-all tie after one extra stanza.

“The good news today was we hit the ball and we got on base,” Abrahamson said. “The bad news was having to do both late in both games. It’s frustrating for the players—load the bases and strand runners.

“Defensively, we wanted to work on not advancing the runners. Today we got the lead runner when Bradley laid down sacrifice bunts; a positive in the game.”

The Huskies next head to Western Illinois for a Thursday doubleheader.