March 16,
2003
| Box
Score |
R
|
H
|
E
|
| Northern
Illinois |
11
|
15
|
3
|
| Saint
Louis |
10
|
13
|
1
|
RECORD TO DATE:
Northern Illinois now 6-7; Winthrop now 10-8.
NEXT HUSKIE ACTION: Wednesday / March 19, 2003 --- NIU at University
of Illinois, Champaign, IL, 3:05 p.m.
HUSKIE BASEBALL
HOLDS ON FOR 11-10 VICTORY OVER WINTHROP
ROCK HILL, SC - One problem the Northern Illinois University baseball
team has had this year is closing out ball games. The plus side of that
problem is that they have had the lead late in the ball game. Even though
they gave up four runs in the final two innings, the Huskies held on for
an 11-10 victory over Winthrop University on Sunday (March 16).
Northern Illinois
has won back-to-back games to finish up an eight-game road trip with an
overall mark of 6-7. The hosts Eagles fall to 10-8 for the year.
"It was a good
win. It's nice to finish up the trip with a win," NIU skipper Ed
Mathey said. "It was a good grind out game for us. We had a couple
of games earlier in the trip where we were in similar situations and we
let them go. That's something we going to need to continue to do if we
are going to reach our goals."
Six hits in the first
frame chased Winthrop starter Thomas Oleniczak out of the game before
his team even got an at-bat. A two-run single by designated hitter Scott
Simon (Algonquin / Woodstock Marian Central Catholic) followed RBI
singles by Joe Mazzuca (Elmwood Park / Holy Cross), Dan Urban
(Matteson / Richton Park Rich South) and Mike Hochhauser (Darien
/ Hinsdale South).
After the Eagles put
up a five-spot of their own in the fourth, the Huskies answered three
innings later with the half dozen runs it needed to win the ball game.
Once again NIU produced its runs with constant hitting as Derek Barrone's
(Rockford / Boylan) lead off double was the only extra base hit out
of the Huskies' six base knocks in the inning.
Every NIU starter
picked up at least one hit with Hochhauser leading the way with three
hits and a pair of RBI. Simon topped the squad with a trio of RBI as part
of his 2-for-5 day. Urban also drove in a pair of runs and was one of
our players to cross the plate twice.
Out of the bullpen,
Zach Minor (Moline) came in to get his second victory of the year
as he pitched five innings in relief of starter Jim Caine (St.
Charles). The sophomore lefty worked five innings, giving up just one
run on five hits. Rookie right-hander Mark Badgley (McHenry) came
on in the ninth to record his second save.
"Some of our
young kids did really well," Mathey added. "Mark Badgley threw
well in relief. He should have been out of the inning sooner if it hadn't
been for a couple of errors. Scotty Simon continues to swing the bat really
well. And then we got some good contributions from some other guys like
Mike Hochhauser."
A pair of errors in
the ninth almost cost NIU the victory. Right fielder Mike Santoro (River
Forest / Fenwick) helped preserve the win when he threw out the tying
run at the plate before Badgley stuck out Kyle Roberson to end the game.
Northern Illinois
plays one more game before its home opener, taking on the University of
Illinois at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday (March 19). The Huskies have their
first game at Ralph McKinzie Field on Saturday (March 22) in a noon doubleheader
against Calumet College.
-Copy by Michael
Smoose
-30-
