SOFTBALL

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DEKALB, IL ­ The Northern Illinois Huskies finished their sweep of the University at Buffalo softball team with a 6-1 victory in the final game of the three-game Mid-American Conference series this afternoon in DeKalb, IL. The Huskies scored six runs on six hits and were aided by four UB errors to improve to 16-19 overall and 9-3 in the MAC, just two games behind league-leading Central Michigan. With the loss, the Bulls' record drops to 4-18 overall and 1-11 in the conference.

A two-run triple to center by Kathy LeClear in the first inning got the Huskies on the board early, and LeClear then made the score 3-0 when she came around to score on an errant throw by freshman catcher Julie Hibner (Salem, OR/South Salem) who was trying to throw out Paige Shemoski stealing second base. NIU added to its lead in the fifth inning with a two-run single by Gretchen Szymski before the Bulls got on the board in the top of the sixth.

Julie Hibner

Sophomore Breanne Nasti (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin) led off the inning with a double and came around to score the Bulls' only run of the game on a single by Hibner. The Huskies countered with a solo home run by Lisa Mattke in the bottom of the sixth for the 6-1 final.

NIU's Amy Krahula picked up her second win of the weekend, striking out seven in six innings of work. Buffalo freshman Stacey Evans (Collinsville, IL/Triad) took the loss for the Bulls, her sixth of the season, despite striking out a season-high eight batters. Nasti had two doubles in three at-bats and freshman Jackie O'Brien (Selkirk, NY/Bethlehem Central) had her first career hit, a double in the fourth inning. The Bulls outhit the Huskies by a 7-6 margin.

The Bulls now return home to the UB Softball Stadium, where they are 3-2 on the season, for a seven-game homestand. Buffalo hosts Kent State in a three-game Mid-American Conference series on Saturday, April 20 and Sunday, April 21, with Saturday's doubleheader and Sunday's single game both beginning at 1 pm. The Bulls then host local rivals Niagara and Canisius in 3 pm doubleheaders on Monday, April 22 and Tuesday, April 23, respectively.