After dropping its home opener Tuesday, NIU softball went back on the road for a double-header against Loyola of Chicago.

The Huskies (12-16) gave up a total of 19 runs as they were swept by the Ramblers (8-12) in their two games, 10-3 and 9-1.

“Loyola did a great job,” said NIU coach Lindsey Chouinard. “They outplayed us in every facet of the game, they hit better than us, they defended better than us, they pitched better than us; they absolutely deserved to win today.”

In game one, the Ramblers recorded 15 hits. Its first four batters in the lineup went a combined 9-14 and had eight of Loyola’s nine RBIs.

“We didn’t execute,” Chouinard said. “The pitchers didn’t execute. Obviously, when you’re are giving up 15 hits in seven innings, you’re not doing what you need to do from the mound, and that was kind of a running theme for us today.”

The fourth inning was key for the Ramblers as they scored four runs, three of which came on a three-run homer by Brooke Andresen.

Loyola’s Amanda Ciran picked up here first win of the season as she pitched a complete game giving up seven hits and three earned runs.

“She did a good job getting ahead,” Chouinard said. “She used good speeds and kept our hitters off balance.”

Game two was played to the same tune as game one, as Loyola had its way with NIU.

The Huskies would strike first in the top of the third when Shelby Miller drove in Stephanie Toft from second base on a single to center field.

The Ramblers answered back in a big way in the bottom of the third inning with five runs of their own.

Loyola would get five of its six hits in the inning, its biggest hit coming from Tarran Shaffer who hit a double down the right field line driving in two runs.

The Ramblers would score at least one run in the next three innings, two coming in the fourth, as the Huskies failed to score and record two more hits.