DeKALB | Sunday’s softball game may not have been pretty, but who said it needed to be?

The NIU softball team took advantage of an error-riddled third inning by Western Michigan and used it to score six runs as the team won 7-0 at Mary M. Bell Field.

NIU (16-19, 5-5) needed the win to avoid getting swept by the Broncos (13-14, 5-5) who beat NIU 4-2 on Saturday.

That third inning started with Krystn Sendejas reaching on an error. She would then score on an RBI ground out by Randi Kreiter. With two outs, a dropped ball by a WMU left fielder gave the Huskies new life, which they took advantage of, thanks to freshman Allie Parker.

Parker came up with the bases loaded and hit a line drive down the left field line, clearing the bases.

“That was a big hit for us,” NIU Head Coach Donna Martin said. “That was kind of the nail that sealed the coffin. We did a good job taking advantage of their mistakes.”

Parker, who has been struggling at the plate this season, sees the hit as something that could end her slump.

“I feel a lot more confident now,” Parker said. “It’s just a matter of listening to coach and getting my hands up.”

Those runs proved to be more than enough for freshman pitcher Kate Greenough, who gave up just three hits all game.

Krista McPherson continued to swing the bat well, going 2-4 with a run scored.

On Saturday, the Huskies got burned by a big inning that came in the top of the seventh when the Broncos scored run runs to take the a 4-2 lead, which proved to be too much for NIU to overcome.

McPherson also went 2-4 in the game, while Michelle Nendza and Ellen Stoddard drove in the Huskies only two runs.

NIU missed its largest opportunity in the first inning of that game when they had the bases loaded with no outs and scored just one run.

“We didn’t really get the job done in the first inning,” Martin said. “We got one run out of it, but should have and could have gotten more. You never know what things are going to be the determining factor in a game.”