May 7, 2006
Box Score
KALAMAZOO, MI - Northern Illinois was unable to overcome an early 6-0 deficit at Western Michigan as the home team prevailed 7-2 on Sunday afternoon at Hyames Field. The Huskies return home with a 23-26 overall record and an 8-13 mark in the MAC while the Broncos improve to 23-18 and 11-9 in the league.
Western Michigan took an early lead in the bottom of the first. Mark Abro doubled home two and later scored on a single by Nathan Marquardt before a Kyle Maunus RBI single put the Broncos ahead 4-0.
WMU scored a run in the fourth on Travis May's sacrifice fly and in the fifth when Manus tripled and scored on a passed ball to extend the margin to 6-0.
Kyle Pettengell (DeKalb) doubled to right-center field to lead off the Huskie sixth, ending the streak of 15 consecutive batters retired to open the game by Bronco hurler Ethan Hollingsworth. Pettengell advanced to third on a single by Justin Behm (Downers Grove/North) and scored on a RBI groundout by Marc Besteman (Bradford, Ontario/North Central TX CC) to make it a 6-1 game.
May put the Broncos ahead 7-1 in the sixth with a double that plated Abro.
Pat Minogue (Crystal Lake/Central) delivered a RBI single in the top of the eighth to score Behm, who reached on single earlier in the frame, to trim the lead to 7-2.
Hollingsworth (7-2) earned the win for WMU, going 8.0 innings, allowing two earned runs on seven hits while striking out nine. Brian Smith (Chicago Ridge/Richards) took the loss (4-7) for NIU after working 6.0 innings and striking out five.
Minogue and Behm led the Huskies with two hits each
NIU will next be in action on Friday, May 12, when it returns home to host Ball State in the first of a three-game weekend series. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m. at Ralph McKinzie Field.
NOTABLE HUSKIE TRACKS ...
-The Huskie bullpen did not allow an earned run in 10.1 innings of work during the weekend.
-NIU has dropped two consecutive Sunday games after winning its first five MAC series finales.
-Kyle Pettengell has hit safely in each of his last eight starts
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-Bobby Stevens collected seven hits in the series and has hit safely in 10 of his last 12 MAC games.
-Pat Minogue extended his hitting streak to seven consecutive games dating back to April 29.
