The NIU softball team was not able to overcome an early 3-0 deficit and eventually fell 3-2 to in-state rival UIC on Sunday in Chicago.

The loss is the fifth in the last six games for the Huskies who fell to 14-11 while UIC improves to 11-26 overall.

“Once again, we fell behind early,” NIU coach Donna Martin said. “Granted, we did a good job fighting our way back into the ballgame, but we need to come out with that intensity from the very first pitch.”

UIC got on the board first with two runs in the bottom of the first off NIU starter Kathy Dearborn. After UIC’s Sara Hernandez singled up the middle, Amanda Rivera lined a single off the left center field wall for the first run of the game.

An NIU error, followed by a UIC double, gave the home team a 2-0 lead.

The Flames got another run in the third to finish out their scoring.

Kathy Dearborn led off the top of the fourth with a single to right field. Kelly Drozd drew a walk and Amy Ligmanowski singled through the right side to drive home NIU’s first run. Ligmanowski then stole second base on the next pitch, and Drozd scored on the throw to second to cut the UIC lead to 3-2.

In the bottom of the fourth, freshman Paige Granath relieved Dearborn (5-6) and didn’t allow a hit or a run in the final three innings.

“Paige pitched well today,” Martin said. “She is slowly starting to work her way back into the flow of things after having to take a lot of time off. Overall, though, as a staff the walks are hurting us right now. We are just allowing too many free baserunners.”

NIU rallied in the seventh but came up empty after Ligmanowski was stranded at second after her second hit of the day.

NIU was able to manage only five hits on the day, four of which came from the sixth, seventh and eighth positions in the order.

“It’s not that we aren’t hitting the ball well right now,” Martin said. “There are a quite a few of our girls that are hitting the ball solid but just can’t find the holes. It gets to be very frustrating after awhile.”

NIU also was scheduled to play two games at Buffalo on Saturday but the games were canceled because of weather.