Having lost eight of its last 10 games, the NIU softball team dropped two more contests Wednesday at Marshall.

The MAC East leader won by scores of 1-0 and 3-0 against NIU (20-21 overall, 5-9 MAC). The losses put the Huskies below .500 for the first time this season.

NIU junior transfer Lindsey LaChiana tossed 5 2/3 innings of scoreless ball in Game 1 until the Thundering Herd’s Rachel Folden smacked a solo home run for a 1-0 lead and the victory.

“Lindsey pitched well enough to win,” NIU coach Donna Martin said. “She did a good job keeping [Marshall’s] hitters off-balance for most of the game.”

LaChiana dropped to 12-11 on the season while NIU’s offense has now scored three runs in its last six games.

MU continued its shutout of NIU in Game 2. The Herd (28-14, 13-3) scored twice off Huskie pitcher Kathy Dearborn in the first inning before it swept the doubleheader.