Softball team heads to Valpo for two

By Sean Connor

The MAC season is underway for the NIU softball team, but it will continue to play non-conference opponents during weekdays, beginning at 2 p.m. today at Valparaiso for a doubleheader.

“The mid-week games are important for us,” NIU coach Donna Martin said. “It’s a regional opponent, and we want to have a good record against Midwest teams.”

Valpo heads into the game with a 4-13 record and will begin their conference season in the Mid-Continent against Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis after their meeting with the Huskies.

Losing 10 of their past 12 games, the Crusaders recently dropped two games to Michigan by a combined score of 17-0. They also lost 4-0 to Michigan State, a team NIU was scheduled to play on March 21 at the Buckeye Classic, but had the game cancelled because of bad weather.

However, bad weather hasn’t stopped the Huskies as of late, beating Eastern Michigan this past weekend two games to one, suffering through two rain delays in the last game before having the game postponed.

The Huskies went on to take the rain-delayed game 4-2 with a two-run hit by left fielder Kelly Drozd in the bottom of the fourth inning for a 4-2 win.

Drozd and other regular starters will get the day off against Valpo because Martin is going to give some non-regulars a chance to play.

“It will be an opportunity for girls to get at-bats and for pitchers to throw and keep sharp,” Martin said. “As the season goes on, they’ll have to be ready when we call on them.”