Playing its second game in 10 days, the NIU softball team struggled to find any offense against Western Illinois on Wednesday.

The Huskies managed three hits in a 2-1 non-conference loss at McKee Stadium in Macomb.

“When you get three hits in a game, you are not going to win many ballgames,” Huskie coach Donna Martin said. “We played very well defensively, but we just aren’t getting it done at the plate right now.”

Two of the three hits were infield singles for NIU (14-12). The Huskies struck out seven times and hit the ball out of the infield twice.

“We just have to keep hacking away,” Martin said about the Huskies’ slump at the plate. “Also, we absolutely have to cut down on our strikeouts, especially the strikeouts looking. Those are like free outs for whoever we face.”

The Huskies started off quick, scoring their lone run in the top of the first inning on a Westerwind throwing error.

After NIU’s Lisa Mattke led the game off with a walk, Paige Shemoski was intentionally walked, putting runners at the corners. When Shemoski tried to steal second, WIU catcher Sarah Fleischmann overthrew the ball, allowing Mattke to score.

The Westerwinds (14-18) scored a run in their half of the first and the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fifth.

Mattke, Megan Meyer and Amy Ligmanowski recorded the three Huskie hits of the day.

The Huskies have four MAC games in two days this weekend to try and break out of their offensive skid.