March 11, 2008

Box Score

Box Score in PDF Format

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Dave Reynolds earned the win with a strong performance in his first collegiate start as Northern Illinois topped Texas-San Antonio 6-1. The Huskies (3-7) ended a five-game skid with a victory over a UTSA squad that was a NCAA Regional participant in 2007 and received votes in the this week's National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll.

Reynolds (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg), who entered the game with only three collegiate appearances and 4.1 innings under his belt, worked 6.2 innings and allowed only three hits, one walk and one earned run. The lefthander faced just three hitters over the minimum on his way to his first career victory.

"Dave was excellent out there today," said head coach Ed Mathey. "He threw first pitch strikes and threw all three of his pitches for strikes. He got ahead of the hitters, threw the ball on and off plate well, and got a pretty good result."

The game went scoreless through the first three innings before the Huskies struck first and put up three runs in the fourth. Bobby Stevens (Chicago, Ill./Guerin Prep) led off with a walk and came around to score on a throwing error after a bunt single by Jordin Hood (Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Lake Zurich). Jeff Thomas (Loves Park, Ill./Harlem) scored on a RBI single by Danny Reed (Lindstrom, Minn./North Iowa Area CC) and Reynolds helped himself with a sacrifice fly that scored Hood to put NIU up three.

After UTSA got within 3-1 in the sixth on a solo home run by James Keithley, the Huskies reclaimed their three-run advantage when a single by Joe Buonavolanto (Willowbrook, Ill./Hinsdale South) scored Justin Behm (Downers Grove, Ill./North) to make it 4-1 in the seventh.

Northern Illinois added insurance runs in the ninth when Thomas drove in two on a RBI single that extended his hitting streak to 10 games and made it a 6-1 Huskie lead.

"This was a great win for us after a couple of bad games over the weekend. We played well defensively, turned a couple of key double plays and were opportunistic on offense," said Mathey. "When you are on the road in Texas you are facing some real good teams and UTSA is one of them. They've been at the top of the Southland Conference the past couple years and were a NCAA Tournament team last season."

Behm led NIU with three hits on the afternoon to pace an attack that featured nine hits, all singles.

Dave Nykiel (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew), Dan Atkenson (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) and Andy Deain (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge) combined to hold the Roadrunners hitless over the final 2.1 innings.

J.P. Holton (0-1) took the loss for UTSA, who fell to 9-5.

The two teams were originally scheduled to play a doubleheader but wet grounds forced a single game.

NIU returns to action Wednesday with a 3 p.m. contest against No. 25 Oklahoma at Dr. Pepper Ballpark in Frisco, Texas. The Huskies will wrap up their spring trip with a three-game series at Dallas Baptist beginning Thursday.

HUSKIE TRACKS
-Jeff Thomas extended his hitting streak to 10 games, the longest by a Huskie since Scott Simon's 12 game streak to end the 2007 season. Danny Reed also extended his streak to eight games.
-Justin Behm recorded his fifth career three-hit game, a career-best, and his second three-hit game this season.
-Bobby Stevens' 35th career stolen base moved him into sole possession of fifth-place on NIU's all-time list.
-Dave Nykiel made his 71st career appearance to move into a tie for third on NIU's all-time list.
-Freshman Joe Etcheverry made his first collegiate start at first base.

-NIU-