May 19, 2002
RECORD TO
DATE: Northern Illinois now overall 23-32, 11-14 MAC; Ohio now
26-25 overall, 14-13 MAC.
SEASON CONCLUDES
FOR NORTHERN ILLINOIS BASEBALL WITH DOUBLEHEADER LOSS AT OHIO
ATHENS, OH - As the Northern Illinois University baseball team knows,
you always want to send your seniors out with a victory in their
last home game. Last weekend the Huskies took three from Buffalo
in its final home series, but was on the other end Sunday (May 19)
as Ohio University took the final two games of the regular season.
Despite just five hits, the Bobcats took the opener 11-1, then won
the back half 12-6
By dropping
both games, Northern Illinois finishes the year 23-32 and 11-14
in the Mid-American Conference. The host Ohio completes its season
26-25, 14-13 in the league. With 23 wins this year, NIU has 76 during
Dave Schrage's first three seasons as head coach, the most
by any NIU skipper during their first three campaigns.
Center fielder
Noel Danielson (Butterfield, MN / Butterfield-Odin) used his
speed to get NIU's only run during game one. After beating out a
relay throw during a double play attempt, the senior stole second
and third base. He crossed the plate when OU first baseman Greg
Meyer dropped a throw on Rob Marconi's (LaGrange / Lyons)
ground ball.
Later in the
sixth he picked up only the second Huskie hit of the contest with
an infield single. The first hit off Ohio starter Chris Bova came
in the fourth when Joel Vanden Berg (Cedarburg, WI) smacked
a single to left field. Northern Illinois only had six batters reach
base in the opening contest.
Even though
he only gave up three hits, right-hander Josh Owens (Stevens
Point, WI / Pacelli) took the loss. The junior walked five batters
and hit two more, included three free passes in the fifth which
eventually led to a Meyer's grand slam off Matt Schroeder (DeKalb).
The Huskie staff gave up ten free passes that contributed to all
but two OU runs.
Ohio's pitching
continued to stifle Northern Illinois in second half of the doubleheader.
Through the first four innings, the Huskies could only muster three
hits. For the second time on Sunday Vanden Berg provided NIU's first
hit, a single in the second then Dan Urban (Matteson / Richton
Park Rich South) added a base knock of his own in the fourth.
Just like it
did in Sunday's first game, the Bobcats' defense provided Northern
Illinois with its first run. Senior catcher Dave Garcia (Granville
/ Putnam County) started the fifth with a single before shortstop
Bilal Omar (Rockford / Guilford) added a poke up the middle
to advance Garcia into scoring position. OU shortstop Jason Shockey
misplayed John Brock's (Naperville / Aurora Waubonsie Valley)
ground ball, scoring Garcia.
Two innings
later the Huskies added three more runs on a Brock home run. First
baseman Trevor Stocking (Arlington Heights / Hersey) was
hit by a pitch to begin the frame, then one out later Omar picked
up his second hit of the day. The designated hitter Brock cleared
the bases with his eighth home run of the year.
Along with Vanden
Berg, only Danielson picked up a hit in both games. The center fielder
led off the eighth with a single before Urban collected his second
hit of the night cap with a two-run home run to right field. Northern
Illinois made it interesting in the ninth inning, scoring four runs
off reliever Aaron Smigelski to pull within two. Scott Brownlee
made a diving catch to end the game on a pinch hit flare by Marconi.
Besides ending
the season, Sunday's twinbill marks the end of one of the best careers
in NIU baseball history. Right fielder Pat Kerrigan (Burr
Ridge / Darien Hinsdale South) finishes his Huskie tenure with six
career records and four single season marks. No player in school
history has play in more games (221) than Kerrigan, who ranks sixth
all-time in conference history with his 59 doubles.
--- Copy
by Michael Smoose
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