Softball avoided its third three-game losing streak of the season, instead putting together back-to-back wins for the third time.

The Huskies (13-16) beat North Dakota (3-20), 8-5, in comeback fashion in the first game of the doubleheader. In the second game, they downed North Dakota, 10-2, via the run rule in five innings.

“We came out attacking,” said head coach Christina Sutcliffe. “That was a goal of ours: to get our offense back going today. I think we just played a lot more relaxed.”

Game one

The Huskies did most of their damage at the plate with a pair of three-run innings. They added two runs late for insurance.

Freshman pitcher Becca Rupard (4-5) allowed no runs on one hit in the final three innings after surrendering five runs on eight hits in the first four innings.

“I think I got more comfortable because our bats started coming around and our defense was making some great plays,” Rupard said. “It just made me a lot more comfortable out there [in the circle].”

Trailing 4-0 entering the bottom of the third inning, sophomore catcher Emily Naegele tripled to right-center field, driving in two runs. Junior Jessica Sturm drove in Naegele with an RBI-single to right field, pulling the Huskies with one run, 4-3.

Facing a 5-3 deficit entering the bottom of the fifth, Sturm drove in senior shortstop Shelby Miller and Naegele with a two-run single to center field and advanced to third on an error. Two batters later, senior third baseman Ashley Kopp brought in Sturm with a sacrifice fly to right field to give NIU its first lead, 6-5.

The Huskies tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Rupard led off with a solo home run to left field. Naegele drove in senior pinch runner Erika Oswald three batters later with a single up the middle, and the Huskies held on to win, 8-5.

“I really think it was the positive energy in our dugout,” said Naegele, who went a combined 5-6 at the plate with three runs scored and four RBIs in the doubleheader. “We were focusing on staying up in the dugout and coming together as a team. It really helps you relax in the batter’s box when you know you have your whole team behind you.”

Game two

The Huskies fell into a 2-0 hole as Sturm (7-8) surrendered two runs on two hits in the first inning; however, Sturm didn’t allow any hits or runs the remainder of the game.

“It was my curveball; that was actually working,” Sturm said. “That’s kind of been my go-to pitch, but it hasn’t been working recently. But, it’s back.”

The Huskies scored one run in the first on an RBI single and tied the game, 2-2, when Kopp advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a throwing error by the catcher.

NIU took the lead for good with a two-run third inning. It added five runs in the bottom of the fourth to go up 9-2 and won, 10-2, via the run rule in the bottom of the fifth.

The Huskies will host the Western Michigan Broncos (11-21, 2-2 MAC) 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday at Mary M. Bell Field.

“I felt like we got a little monkey off our back,” Sutcliffe said. “… Getting both those wins today I think is going to relax us for the weekend and get us a little more comfortable going into it. [We] had a lot more energy today, and hopefully we can carry that into the weekend.”