Feb. 26, 2006

Final Stats

EVANSVILLE, IN - One day after clinching the Dunn Hospitality Diamond Classic with a victory over host Evansville, the Northern Illinois Huskies fell short of sweeping the tournament, dropping a 9-8 decision to Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Sunday afternoon. NIU falls to 2-4 and returns to action next Friday at Southern Illinois.

Mark Badgley (0-1) took the loss in relief as UWM scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth for the deciding runs. The Panther inning began with a two-base error and the eventual winning run later crossed on a wild pitch.

Offensively, the Huskies pounded out a season-high 12 hits on the afternoon while scoring eight runs. Five NIU players recorded multiple-hit games, led by Jesse Seykora. Jeff Thomas belted his first career home run and drove in two on the afternoon. Scott Simon, Brian Toner, and Marc Besteman each added two hits. Toner, who has hit safely in all safely in all six games this season, tied with Bobby Stevens for the team lead with two runs scored.

Adam Holdenrid started the game on the hill for NIU and pitched 1.1 innings before giving way to Matt Jernstad, Trevor Feeney, and Badgley in relief.

Despite the loss, the Huskies are tournament champions after a Friday victory over Eastern Illinois and a Saturday win over Evansville.

NIU will next travel across the state, returning to the diamond Friday to begin a three-game set in Carbondale against the Southern Illinois Salukis.

NOTABLE HUSKIE TRACKS ...

-Brian Toner has hit safely in all six games this season.
-Jesse Seykora has five hits in his last two games.
-Seykora's three hits in Sunday's game equaled a season-best shared with Brian Toner and Scott Simon.
-UWM's home run by Rob Brockel was only the second yielded by NIU this season.