EVANSTON, Ill. | Playing No. 8 Northwestern, the NIU softball team knew it could not afford to make the smallest of mistakes.

But when it did, the Wildcats’ Garland Cooper made the Huskies pay in a 6-1 NIU loss Tuesday at Northwestern.

The Huskies fell to 13-14 on the season while Northwestern moved to 28-7.

Both of NIU’s pitchers, Taryn Hagemann and Kate Greenough, gave up two-run homers to Northwestern’s Garland Cooper.

“Every time Cooper came up, we didn’t have anywhere to put her,” NIU coach Donna Martin said. “We’d rather pitch to the hitter behind her. She fouled off the tough pitches, but hit two mistakes. That’s what good hitters do.”

The first of Cooper’s home runs came in the bottom of the second to give Northwestern a 2-0 lead.

NIU missed an opportunity to score in the top of the second. With the bases loaded and one out, Northwestern hurler Lauren Delaney struck out two in a row to end the threat.

“Our No. 8 and 9 hitters got behind in the count, and weren’t selective enough at the plate,” Martin said.

In the top of the third, Huskies designated player Randi Kreiter doubled off Delaney with a player on first. However, NIU’s runner was thrown out at the plate.

Northwestern made the missed opportunity a costly one as it plated two more in the bottom of the inning.

The Wildcats scored one more time on Cooper’s second home run in the fifth. Cooper tied Northwestern’s single-season record of 14 home runs with the blast.

“I felt we played very well on defense,” Martin said. “For the most part we pitched well, just not to Garland.”

The Huskies lone score came in the top of the seventh when pinch-hitter Kate Welsh scored on an error.

NIU continued to press with the bases loaded and two out, but Delaney recorded her seventh strikeout to end the game.

“Had we put the ball in play, we could have forced there hand,” Martin said. “If we score a run or two in the second, maybe that changes the momentum. You just can’t make any mistakes to their top five.”