April 5, 2007

DEKALB, Ill. -The Northern Illinois University softball team travels to Oxford, Ohio and Muncie, Ind. this weekend for its first Mid-American Conference road games of the season. The Huskies (13-14, 3-1) open the four-game trip with a doubleheader at Miami (OH) (12-25-1, 2-2) Friday, before traveling to Ball State (11-20, 2-2) for a weekend set with the Cardinals.

The Huskies are in a tie for first place in the MAC West with Eastern Michigan. They own an 18-6 overall record against the RedHawks. Last season, the Huskies swept Miami (OH), 3-1 and 13-5 at Mary M. Bell Field. The Huskies defeated Ball State, 6-4, at the Hawkeye Classic earlier this season and split with Ball State last season, winning the first game 4-2 and losing 6-3 in the second game.

"We have faced Ball State's team before this season, but we have not faced their freshman pitcher, who seems to be doing the best," NIU head coach Donna Martin said. "We have a lot of `new' this weekend. There are new coaches for both teams, the leading pitcher on either team is a freshman, so they're new and we have never played in Miami's new stadium. We have a lot of adjustments to make this weekend, but we've been pretty good at making adjustments and seeing them as challenges and not obstacles."

Krista McPherson is swinging a hot bat for the Huskies in conference play. In last weekend's set with Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan, McPherson went 8-13, batting .615 and scored five runs against the Eagles and Chippewas. Ellen Stoddard is batting .385 in conference play. She went 5-13 with a double, a triple and four RBI last weekend.

"Obviously, when she's getting on base we're scoring more runs," Martin said of McPherson. "That's what your leadoff hitter is supposed to do. She's had some quality at bats to start games the last couple of weeks. She's confident at the plate in her ability to bunt, slap and hit."

The Huskies doubleheader with Miami (OH) will be available on GameTracker at niuhuskies.com. The first game begins at noon CST with the second game scheduled to start at 2 p.m.