Softball will look to climb back to the top of the MAC West this week as it takes on Eastern Michigan University in a series starting at 1 p.m. Friday in Ypsilanti, Mich.

The Huskies (28-13) have lost five of their last 10 games after a 14-game winning streak. They still hold the best record in all of the MAC but are second in the West due to Western Michigan University having a better conference record. The Huskies are 10-6 at home and 4-4 on the road this season.

Eastern Michigan is currently 18-23 and on a four-game winning streak — its best stretch of the season. The team is third in the MAC West and holds an 8-6 record in the conference.

NIU and Eastern Michigan last faced off in the 2014-15 season in a two-game series — the Huskies swept the Swoops, scoring five runs in both games.

Senior catcher Emily Naegele and junior first baseman Kayti Grable have led an explosive NIU offense this season. Naegele is hitting an impressive .410 in 41 games, picking up 16 home runs, 47 runs batted in, nine doubles, 48 hits and 38 runs. She has picked up a team-best .932 slugging percentage and a .517 on-base percentage. Grable is second on the team in most of the same categories, tallying a .394 batting average with 39 hits, seven doubles, five home runs, 39 runs batted in and 23 runs. She has a .512 on-base percentage and a .616 slugging percentage.

The Huskies still have 11 games remaining in the regular season, three of which will come at home. They still have a chance to finish the season with the top record in the MAC. The next best team is Miami University, who stands at 25-17 and 10-3 in the conference but is on a three-game losing streak.

NIU has already tied its win total from last season at 28 and is on pace for one of its best seasons ever. Barring an unforeseen meltdown, the Huskies will likely reach 30 wins for the first time since 2000 when they went 33-22. Their best season came in 1993 when they went 40-18 under head coach Dee Abrahamson.