If every team has a turning point during its season that defines how the rest of the year will go, the NIU softball team is in for a long spring.

Winning seven of its last nine games heading into MAC play, NIU (10-13 overall, 0-4 MAC) gave up a combined 24 runs to Central and Eastern Michigan in its four losses over the weekend.

After dropping Friday’s double header at CMU by scores of 3-1 and 8-0, the Huskies trekked to EMU Saturday only to lose 5-3 in extra innings. NIU capped the weekend with an 8-3 loss that saw the Huskies trail by as many as seven runs.

CMU pitching dominated the NIU offense Friday. In its two games, CMU gave up one run and six hits while striking out 11.

Down 3-0 in the top of the sixth inning of the first game, the Huskies had the bases loaded with one out. But after sophomore Michelle Nendza’s RBI groundout, NIU could not capitalize further.

In the second game, senior pitcher Lindsey LaChiana took the mound for the Huskies for the first time since March 5. Before the team’s March 25 game against Butler, NIU coach Donna Martin said LaChiana would be out indefinitely.

In her return, the Oak Lawn native gave up seven runs in 3 1-3 innings as CMU (10-15, 2-0) went on to a five-inning mercy rule win.

“[Friday] we needed to play like I know we can,” Martin said. “The road to the being MAC Champions is a long one, and we’ll have more opportunities.”

NIU had less than 20 hours to prepare for its next opportunity.

Against EMU (15-17, 3-1), Huskies senior Kelly Drozd and freshman Bailey Ouellette led the charge on offense. Drozd went 1-3 with two RBIs and one run scored while Ouellette was 2-3 with an RBI and one run scored.

A scoreless top of the eighth by NIU was followed by two consecutive strikeouts in the bottom of the inning by LaChiana. However, a single by EMU’s Heather Giroux preceded a home run by first baseman Ashley Strauss that finished off the Huskies.

“We were more prepared than we were yesterday,” Martin said. “But we need to learn how to close out a win.”

On Sunday, EMU jump out to a 7-0 lead before NIU scored three runs in the sixth inning.