Softball (23-10, 4-2 MAC) struggled over the weekend, losing two out of three games in a series against Kent State University.

The first game of the series on Friday turned out to be a low-scoring affair. The Huskies stepped up defensively, holding Kent State to only one run in the first inning. NIU senior catcher Emily Naegele stepped up with two home runs and three RBIs, helping the Huskies top the Golden Flashes 4-1.

Kent State got off to a quick start in game two of Friday’s double header, dominating the Huskies for most of the game. The Flashes build an early 7-2 lead and NIU wasn’t able to pick up much momentum until late in the contest.

Naegele tried her best to anchor a Huskies comeback, blasting her 15th homer of the season. It was one of two homers in the game for her, cutting the lead to 7-5, as close as the team would get in the game.

Sunday’s game proved to be the closest game of the weekend — a pitcher’s duel between both teams to end the series. The game was tied at 3-3 until the top of the seventh inning when Kent State was able to push forward after a solo home run from junior infielder Maddy Grimm with two outs left. Kent State won by a final score of 4-3.