GAME INFORMATION
Final Score: Northern Illinois 6, Loyola 2
Records: NIU (12-7); LU (15-7)
Location: Dail Stadium -- Raleigh, N.C.
Pitchers of Record:W: Tara Thacker (3-4); L: Madison Hope (2-3)
Stats: Box Score

In Short...
Northern Illinois scored four runs in the fourth inning to take control and Loyola struggled to come up with timely hits today in a 6-2 loss to the Huskies in the final game of the NC State DoubleTree RDC Challenge in Raleigh, N.C.

How It Happened
+ Loyola stranded two runners in the top of the first while Northern Illinois used a walk, an illegal pitch and a throwing error to get on the board in the bottom half of the inning
+ The Huskies added another run in the second out of nothing, with a two-out, hit batsman coming home following another illegal pitch and a double
+ The Ramblers had a big opportunity in the fourth, loading the bases with one out on three walks, but a foul out and a strikeout ended the threat
+ Northern Illinois then answered with its big inning, turning two hits and four walks into four runs to take a 6-0 lead
+ Loyola got on the board in the fifth, with Katie Kasubke clubbing a two-run home run, her third of the season
+ The Ramblers tried to rally in the seventh, putting two runners on base before a fly ball ended the game

Inside The Box Score
+ Each team mustered only four hits in the game but the Ramblers left nine runners on base compared to just four for the Huskies
+ Kasubke, Erica Nagel, Brooke Wyderski and Katy LaCivita recorded the hits, with Kasubke's homer accounting for the only extra-base hit
+ Kasubke also recorded two of Loyola's six walks in her four plate appearances
+ Wyderski's single gives her at least one hit in 21 of Loyola's 22 games this season
+ Ashley Rogers was terrific out of the bullpen, pitching 2.2 innings of scoreless ball to give Loyola a chance to rally
+ Loyola came into the game hitting .385 as a team with runners in scoring position but went 0-for-5 in such at-bats today

Next Up
Loyola opens Missouri Valley play next weekend with a three-game series at Southern Illinois.