DeKALB — The softball team lost both games of a double-header against MAC rival Ball State University Cardinals Wednesday to attain a conference record of 5-6.

“I’m just a little disappointed at some of our at-bats,” said Head Coach Christina Sutcliffe. “We let too many good pitches go by and swung at too many bad pitches.”

The Huskies are on a four-game losing streak after winning four games prior.

Wednesday game one — Cardinals 1, Huskies 0

The softball team suffered its second shutout loss in the last three games, dating back to Saturday’s home loss against Ohio.

The Huskies struggled offensively throughout the game and didn’t get a hit until the sixth inning on a double from junior outfielder Katie Lamich.

The Huskies and Cardinals both struggled to score; the first and second innings combined saw no hits or runs from either team. The Cardinals managed to get two runners on base from a walk and an error from the combined innings.

Junior Alex Frenz pitched four innings and allowed five hits, three walks and one run. Frenz also struck out two batters.

The Huskies went 1-for-21 from the plate.

Junior outfielder Jenny Van Geertry didn’t manage a hit but earned a walk.

Wednesday game two — Cardinals 6, Huskies 5

The Huskies looked to turn their offense around in game two of the double-header.

In the first inning, senior pitcher Tara Thacker held Ball State scoreless. The Huskies went to work early on the offensive side as senior infielder Alaynie Woollard drove in Van Geertry to give the Huskies the 1-0 lead. NIU scored again from a sacrifice bunt from senior infielder Bekah Harnish.

NIU’s defense held the Cardinals scoreless in the second inning. Thacker had a strike out and was helped with a foul out to Woollard and a fly out to Van Geertry.

Sophomore Anne Allen and junior Katie Lamich both singled to right field. The Huskies couldn’t capitalize with two runners left on base after a Van Geertry strikeout and a groundout by junior infielder Dominique Greeno in the bottom of the second inning.

The Cardinals roared back in the third inning with a two-run home run from Janae Hogg to tie the game 2-2.

The Huskies didn’t respond in the bottom of the third inning, leaving two runners on base.

Thacker allowed four runs, six hits and had two strikeouts. She was replaced by senior Keegan Hayes in the sixth inning after giving up another two-run home run. The Huskies fell behind 4-2.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Greeno cleared the bases with a hit, allowing Van Geertry, Lamich and junior infielder Abby Howlett to score.

“I was having a bad day at the plate, and at the moment I forgot all about that and did whatever I can to try and win the game,” Greeno said.

Hayes was replaced by Frenz in the top of the seventh inning. Hayes allowed the bases to load, leading to her removal from the mound. The Cardinals scored two runs to take the lead back from the Huskies at 6-5.

The Huskies attempted a comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning but fell short after three consecutive outs.

“Ball State is a good warmup for Toledo because they are pretty similar teams,” Sutcliffe said. “I think we will continue to have a slugfest out in Toledo.”

The Huskies will be back in action 2 p.m. Friday in Toledo, Ohio as they will face the Toledo Rockets.