Huskies Halt Falcons in Friday Twinbill

Friday, April 17

Bowling Green, Ohio

1 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

17-23, 5-14

Northern Illinois

20-12, 13-5

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Northern Illinois	0	0	6	1	2	9	7	0
Bowling Green	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	5

Addie Martin homered in Friday's second game

Photo by: Drake Harlett, BGSU Athletics

April 17, 2026 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Teams look to conclude their weekend series on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University softball team dropped a doubleheader to Northern Illinois University on Friday afternoon (April 17) at Meserve Field. The Huskies captured the Mid-American Conference doubleheader by scores of 9-0 and 3-1.

In the opener, the Huskies (21-12, 14-5 MAC) took advantage of BGSU errors to take control with six runs in the third inning. Six of NIU's nine runs in the game were unearned.

The nightcap saw Danielle Stewart, one of the nation's leading hitters, give the visitors the lead with a two-run double in the third inning, and Huskie pitching kept the Falcons off of the scoreboard until Addie Martin's homer in the seventh inning.

NOTE OF THE DAY
• Addie Martin's homer in Friday's second game was her ninth of the season, tying her for 12th on the BGSU single-season list.
• Martin, a redshirt sophomore, now has 22 career homers, and has moved into sole possession of seventh place on the BGSU career chart.

📹HIGHLIGHTS📹

A few sights & sounds from Friday afternoon...#AyZiggy pic.twitter.com/tMyflyQLPR
— BGSU Softball (@BGSUSoftball) April 17, 2026

BGSU-NIU GAME ONE – HOW IT HAPPENED
• The starting pitchers, BGSU's Mackenzie Krafcik and NIU's Madison Carlson, combined to allow just two baserunners over the first two innings. Both pitchers would have had back-to-back one-two-three frames if not for a two-out infield error that allowed NIU's Alana Powell to reach base in the second.
• In the third, however, errors proved to be the Falcons' undoing. Lia Nance singled and took second on a sac bunt, and an infield hit by Izzi Hanna saw Nance score the game's first run on an error. After Nance rounded third, a throw to the bag was off line and went into shallow left, allowing Nance to score and Hanna to take second.
• Danielle Stewart -- who entered the day tied for sixth in the nation in hitting with a .500 batting average -- followed with an RBI double, and Kayla Estrada and Mia Morera each reached on errors before Powell singled to plate another run. After a ground ball produced the second out, Katy Ramage gave NIU a 6-0 lead with a two-run single.
• Stewart homered in the fourth, and two runs scored on another BG error in the fifth. Meanwhile, Carlson retired the first eight batters she faced before Hanna Massaro walked in the third. The Falcons' first hit came when Taylor Behrendt began the fourth with a single.
• Addie Martin was hit by a pitch with two outs in that fourth frame, but Carlson got an inning-ending popup.
• Izzy Ray was hit by a pitch to begin the BG fifth, and Massaro reached on a bunt single with one down, but Carlson set down the next two hitters to close out the win.
• Carlson allowed just two hits in her five-inning shutout, walking one batter and striking out four. At the plate, Stewart was 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI, while Ramage also drove in a pair of teammates.
• BG pitching allowed only three earned runs in the game.

BGSU-NIU GAME TWO – HOW IT HAPPENED
• The first four half-innings of game two saw each team draw a walk. Hanna and Rylie Hartman reached for the visitors, while Behrendt and Hannah Simko got on base for the Falcons. Simko stole second with two outs, but was stranded there.
• For the second-straight game, however, the Huskies took the lead in the third. Nance led off with a bunt single, before Jenna Turner's base hit up the middle. Another bunt single, off the bat of Hanna, loaded the bases, before Stewart lined a ball down the left-field line for a two-run double.
• On that play, Hanna was out in a rundown after rounding third, and Morgan Beckham then set down the next two Huskies.
• Stewart, who had started the game in the circle, was replaced by Taylor Mackin to begin the third, and Massaro was hit by a pitch to begin the inning. The BG sophomore reached third base on a pair of ground balls, but was stranded there.
• Hannah Hunt began the BG fourth with a single, and on Martin's sac bunt, pinch-runner Delaney Davis advanced to third when a throw to second was wild. But, Mackin got a ground ball to the left side, with Davis forced to hold at third, and a fly ball to center ended the inning.
• NIU extended the lead in the sixth on a Powell double and a Ramage single.
• In the seventh, Martin led off with a line-drive homer to left, and Simko followed with a single on the very next pitch.
• A fielder's choice produced the first out, and on a pitch in the dirt, a BG runner was tagged out attempting to advance. Katie Hutter drew a walk, but Mackin got a game-ending ground ball to preserve the lead and the win.
• Turner and Stewart each had two hits for the Huskies, with Stewart driving in two runs for the second-straight game. Hanna was 1-for-1 win three walks.
• Mackin picked up the win in the circle, allowing one run and three hits over the final five innings of the game.
• Beckham threw a complete game for the Falcons, while Martin homered and Simko walked and singled. Hunt had BG's other hit in the game.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons and Huskies will look to conclude their three-game weekend series with a Saturday (April 18) game at Meserve Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m., but the start time could be altered due to weather. Check BGSUFalcons.com and all of the many social media avenues for updates.
• Following the BGSU-NIU series, the Orange and Brown will continue a season-long eight-game homestand with next weekend's three-game set vs. Massachusetts (April 24-25), followed by a non-league doubleheader against Oakland (April 28). Then, the regular season concludes with three games at Miami (May 1-2).

FOLLOW THE FALCONS
• For more information on BGSU softball, follow the Falcons on Twitter/X (@BGAthletics and @BGSUSoftball) and Instagram (@bgsu_softball) as well as on the web right here at BGSUFalcons.com.