May 2, 2006
Box Score
MILWAUKEE, WI - Northern Illinois pounded out 14 hits and withstood a late rally by Wisconsin-Milwaukee to notch an 8-7 victory Tuesday afternoon at Henry Aaron Field. With the win, the Huskies improve to 22-23 overall and avenge a February loss to UWM in Evansville. The loss drops the Panthers to 21-20.
NIU jumped out to a 4-0 lead behind a big fourth inning. Justin Behm (Downers Grove/North) led off the frame with a double to left center field before Kyle Pettengell (DeKalb) walked and Brett Kellam (Chicago/Scottsdale AZ CC) singled to load the bases. Colin Grant (Lake Zurich/Lake County CC) then reached on a fielding error to bring in both Behm and Pettengell. Tim Kamin (Oak Lawn/Richards) followed with a RBI groundout to plate Kellam and Pat Minogue (Crystal Lake/Central) later singled home Grant to stake the Huskies to a four-run advantage.
The Panthers countered with a four-spot in the bottom of the inning to even the score. Ross McCoy led off the home half of the fourth with a solo home run, Matt Curran drove in a run on a RBI groundout, and Mike Goetz knotted the game by singling home two.
The Huskies stormed right back with three runs in their first three at-bats in the fifth to go up 7-4. Brian Toner (Alsip/Kishwaukee CC) led off with a single and scored when the next hitter, Behm, doubled to right center. Pettengell followed with a two-run home run, his first of the season, to right center field.
UWM got back within 7-5 in the sixth courtesy of a bases-loaded walk to Jesse Hart. NIU regained its three-run lead in the seventh when Kamin doubled down the left field line to score Daniel Jewett (West Frankfort/Rend Lake CC) who was pinch-running for Kellam.
The Panthers rallied in their last at-bat scoring twice to cut the Huskie lead to 8-7. Zak Rivera's RBI groundout brought in the first run and Kyle Silver reached on an error to plate the second run of the frame. Matt German (Aurora/Marmion Academy) then slammed the door with the bases loaded by inducing a groundout to end the game and notch his 10th save of the year.
Brandon Hodge (Union Center, WI/Kishwaukee CC) notched his first win of the season (1-2) in his home state, going 5.1 innings while scattering seven hits. Korey Keller (2-3) took the loss for UWM.
The 14-hit outburst by NIU was its highest production since April 7 against Kent State, also a 14-hit attack. Five Huskies had two hits apiece - Minogue, Bobby Stevens (Chicago/Guerin Prep), Toner, Behm, and Kellam. Leading the way with two RBI in the game for NIU was Pettengell and Kamin.
The Huskies return to the Land of Lincoln for a Wednesday night game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Elfstrom Stadium, home of the Midwest League's Kane County Cougars, in Geneva. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. with coverage available on GameTracker linked through the baseball schedule page on www.niuhuskies.com. Fans in the DeKalb area who cannot make it to the game can listen to the call of Bill Baker and Mark Lindo on WLBK (1360-AM).
NOTABLE HUSKIE TRACKS ...
-NIU has home runs in each of its last four non-conference games and has feasted on Horizon League pitching, combining for five round-trippers in the last two games against teams from that conference.
-The Huskies are now 6-1 on Tuesdays and are 5-2 against left-handed starting pitchers.
-NIU totaled 16 runs and 26 hits in two games against Wisconsin-Milwaukee this season.
-Scott Simon moved into sole possession of second place on the all-time NIU hit list with 234.
