Northern Star

Greenough shuts down and shuts out Western Michigan

By Andy Pruski | April 16, 2007

DeKALB | The NIU softball team scored seven runs Sunday against Western Michigan, but with the way Kate Greenough was pitching, that may have been six more than needed. The freshman pitcher gave up just three hits the entire game and never allowed a WMU...

Softball salvages weekend series

By Andy Pruski | April 16, 2007

DeKALB | Sunday's softball game may not have been pretty, but who said it needed to be? The NIU softball team took advantage of an error-riddled third inning by Western Michigan and used it to score six runs as the team won 7-0 at Mary M. Bell Field....

Both teams shaking off rust

By Sean Connor | April 13, 2007

By passing its showdown Thursday with Illinois State due to poor weather conditions, the NIU softball team's next challenge will come against Western Michigan this weekend at Mary Bell Field in DeKalb. Saturday's game was originally set to begin at 1...

One tough road task

By Andy Pruski | April 12, 2007

Trying to break out of a slump is rough against any opponent. The NIU softball team has the daunting task of trying to do it against a ranked opponent on the road. NIU (14-17) will look to break out of its slump against No. 17 Illinois State (33-9) at...

Stealing time with softball’s Stoddard

By Sean Connor | April 11, 2007

Having a father who was part of two major championship teams left a lot to live up to for NIU softball's Ellen Stoddard. However, the fifth-year senior said she is not feeling the pressure while living up her last days of college ball. Stoddard was leading...

Doing the splits: Huskie drop Game 1 in extra innings but rebound in Game 2

By Sean Connor | April 11, 2007

DeKALB | NIU softball dropped Game 1 against Valparaiso 8-6 in nine innings Tuesday, giving it five losses in its last six games. But as the weather became colder, the Huskies (15-18) heated up in Game 2, winning 4-1. "We were all frustrated after the...

Doing the splits: Kreiter’s ‘frustration double’ sparks big inning in Game 2

By Andrew Hansen | April 11, 2007

DeKALB | NIU softball head coach Donna Martin called Randi Kreiter's lead-off double in the bottom of the fourth a "frustration double." Kreiter agreed. "I haven't really been hitting well," Kreiter said. "It definitely was a frustration double." Playing...

Softball looking for consistency

By Ben Gross | April 10, 2007

DEKALB | It's time to bounce back for the NIU softball team. Coming off a weekend in which it went 1-3 in conference, NIU will return to Mary M. Bell Field at 3 p.m. today for a double header against Valparaiso. The second half of the double header will...

Reaching for the top spot

By Brandon Mangia | April 10, 2007

DeKALB | Another week of baseball brought another round of accomplishments for the Huskies. NIU is now 17-10 overall and 7-2 in the MAC, good enough for an early third place position in the MAC West. NIU continues to hold the best batting average in the...

Huskie softball plagued by inconsistency over weekend

By Andy Pruski | April 9, 2007

DeKALB | One week after the NIU softball team posted 14 runs in a single game against Central Michigan, the Huskies managed just 12 runs in four games over the weekend. The Huskies (14-16, 4-3) opened with a double-header against Miami (13-26-1, 3-3)...

Making the MAC rounds

By Andy Pruski | April 6, 2007

After jumping out to a 3-1 MAC record last weekend at home, the NIU women's softball team looks to continue its success on the road this weekend. The Huskies (13-14, 3-1) travel to Oxford, Ohio to face Miami (12-25-1, 2-2) this afternoon in a double header...

Two mistakes down NIU

By Sean Connor | April 4, 2007

EVANSTON, Ill. | Playing No. 8 Northwestern, the NIU softball team knew it could not afford to make the smallest of mistakes.

But when it did, the Wildcats' Garland Cooper made the Huskies pay in a 6-1 NIU loss Tuesday at Northwestern.

The Huskies fell to 13-14 on the season while Northwestern moved to 28-7.

Both of NIU's pitchers, Taryn Hagemann and Kate Greenough, gave up two-run homers to Northwestern's Garland Cooper.

"Every time Cooper came up, we didn't have anywhere to put her," NIU coach Donna Martin said. "We'd rather pitch to the hitter behind her. She fouled off the tough pitches, but hit two mistakes. That's what good hitters do."

The first of Cooper's home runs came in the bottom of the second to give Northwestern a 2-0 lead.

NIU missed an opportunity to score in the top of the second. With the bases loaded and one out, Northwestern hurler Lauren Delaney struck out two in a row to end the threat.

"Our No. 8 and 9 hitters got behind in the count, and weren't selective enough at the plate," Martin said.

In the top of the third, Huskies first baseman Ellen Stoddard doubled off Delaney with a player on first. However, NIU's runner was thrown out at the plate.

Northwestern made the missed opportunity a costly one as it plated two more in the bottom of the inning.

The Wildcats scored one more time on Cooper's second home run in the fifth. Cooper tied Northwestern's single-season record of 14 home runs with the blast.

"I felt we played very well on defense," Martin said. "For the most part we pitched well, just not to Garland."

The Huskies lone score came in the top of the seventh when pinch-hitter Kate Welsh scored on an error.

NIU continued to press with the bases loaded and two out, but Delaney recorded her seventh strikeout to end the game.

"Had we put the ball in play, we could have forced there hand," Martin said. "If we score a run or two in the second, maybe that changes the momentum. You just can't make any mistakes to their top five."

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