Quick starts by the NIU softball team have become its trademark this season.

Snapping a three-game losing streak, the Huskies (16-14, 6-3 MAC) beat Toledo (6-23, 3-11 MAC) 5-1 in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday in Toledo, Ohio.

Moving her record to 9-4, Amy Krahula and the Huskies’ defense shut down Toledo’s offense to secure the victory. Krahula gave up one run on nine hits, striking out six and walking two.

“She made pitches when she had to in order to get out of some jams,” NIU coach Donna Martin said. “Right now, she is just getting it done, plain and simple.”

he second game featured NIU freshman Paige Granath, starting her sixth game on the mound, but the Huskies faltered 5-4.

A two-out rally by NIU in the top of the third inning gave the Huskies a 4-0 lead, but they were unable to hold on.

After scoring one run during five innings, the Rockets put together a two-out, four-run rally of their own in the bottom of the sixth inning to take the win.

“We made some bad decisions and let the game get away from us,” Martin said.

NIU then traveled to Ypsilanti, Mich., Sunday and split a pair of games with Eastern Michigan.

The Huskies matched the Eagles (4-25, 2-8 MAC) with eight hits, but were unable to cross home plate in a 4-0 loss.

NIU had opportunities to score, but Martin said EMU made two diving plays and turned double plays in the second and third inning to keep the Huskies off the board.

“We haven’t seen a team in their position,” Martin said. “They played very well.”

Offensively, the Huskies exploded in the second game, scoring eight runs in four innings, putting the eight-run rule into effect.

When a team doesn’t score by the fifth at bat and is down eight runs, the team leading gets the win.

NIU’s offense was lead by Lisa Mattke, Erin Holohan, Megan Meyer, Kathy Dearborn and Toni Del Toro, who all went 2-3 at the plate.

“In the second game, we pitched well, hit well and played well,” Martin said.