DeKALB – The softball team will travel to Memphis, Tennessee, to play five games in the Blues City Classic on Friday through Sunday.

The Huskies went 4-1 in their last tournament, raising their overall record to 5-5. NIU won their first three games of the tournament, defeating Delaware State University 8-5, the College of Charleston 3-2 and Jackson State University 16-15. The Huskies then dropped the next game of the tournament to Costal Carolina University 15-2. In the final game of the tournament, NIU defeated Delaware State University again, 10-2, in six innings.

During this Blues City Classic, the Huskies will take on the University of North Alabama Lions and the University of Memphis Tigers on Friday. On Saturday, NIU will take on the University of Evansville Purple Aces and Western Illinois University Leathernecks. They will wrap up their play for the weekend taking on the Northwestern State University Demons.

This will be the Huskies’ first matchup against the Lions, Tigers and Demons. NIU has taken on the Leathernecks and the Purple Aces once before.

NIU’s last matchup against Evansville was March 14, 2017. The Purple Aces defeated the Huskies 4-2. NIU got off to an early lead but fell victim to 14 strikeouts in the game to keep their runs at 2. Evansville holds the overall record 3-0.

In the Huskies last matchup against the Leathernecks, WIU got the 2-1 victory over NIU in March 5, 2017. NIU scored the first run in the fourth inning giving them the 1-0 lead. Western didn’t answer until the sixth inning, tying the game at one a piece. The Leathernecks scored another run in the seventh, ending the ball game. Their series record is tied at 5-5.

The first pitch of the weekend will be at 9 a.m. Friday morning.