April 19, 2008
Box Score
Box Score in PDF Format 
TOLEDO, Ohio - Five Toledo runs in the middle innings proved to be the difference as Northern Illinois was edged 7-5 Saturday afternoon at Scott Park, ending its four-game MAC winning streak. NIU (16-18, 9-5) rallied to get within a pair of runs on two separate occasions in the game's latter half, but was unable to regain its early lead.
"We just didn't play a clean game today and were a little sloppy in a few areas and that will cost you," said head coach Ed Mathey. "On the bases we ran ourselves into four outs and that cost us chances. We were swinging the bats well but we lost opportunities to keep moving along. Give Toledo credit, though, because they made some plays and pitches to get us out when they needed to."
The Huskies scored in the top of the first, their 10th consecutive game with a first inning run, when Pat Minogue (Crystal Lake, Ill./Central) led off with a double and scored two batters later when Bobby Stevens (Chicago, Ill./Guerin Prep) doubled to left center.
After Toledo erased the lead in the bottom of the first, NIU took it right back in the second when Jordin Hood (Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Lake Zurich) doubled and later scored on an error that allowed Nick Badgley (McHenry, Ill./McHenry CC) to reach base and gave the Huskies a 2-1 lead.
The Rockets took their first lead of the afternoon by scoring three times in the fourth, two of those runs coming on a home run by Jared Hoying, to claim a 4-2 lead. In the next frame, Toledo added a pair of runs on RBI singles by Aaron Dudley and Jake Oester that made it 6-2.
NIU got back within two in the sixth. With Danny Reed (Lindstrom, Minn./North Iowa Area CC) at second after doubling and Joe Etcheverry (Bakersfield, Calif./Centennial) on first after a walk, Tim Kamin (Oak Lawn, Ill./Richards) delivered a pinch-hit double down the right field line to cut the home team's lead to 6-4.
Toledo scored an unearned run in its half of the sixth to reclaim a three-run advantage before the Huskies got back within two in the eighth when Reed doubled and later scored on a Kamin single.
Kamin was among a quartet of Huskies with two hits in the game and led the team with three RBI. Dating back to last season, the senior infielder is batting .875 (7-for-8) and slugging 1.875 with two doubles, two home runs and 13 RBI in his last four games against Toledo.
Stevens was hit by pitch in the ninth inning, running his streak to eight consecutive games while upping his season total to 18, equaling the NIU record.
Starter Adam Holdenrid (Mendota, Ill./Mendota) went 4.2 innings, allowed six earned runs and struck out five in the loss (3-3). Three Huskie relievers, Dave Nykiel (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew), Dan Atkenson (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg), and Andy Deain (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge) combined to work the final 3.1 innings without allowing an earned run.
Ryan France (4-4) was credited with the victory for Toledo (11-22, 4-7) after allowing three earned runs over 5.2 innings.
The Huskies and Rockets will play the rubber game of their series Sunday at noon CDT. Live Stats will be available for the game through NIUHuskies.com.
HUSKIE TRACKS
-Justin Behm set a career-high by hitting safely in his eighth consecutive game.
-Jordin Hood also extended his season-high hitting streak to eight.
-Bobby Stevens' 36 career HBPs ranks second all-time at NIU.
-Northern Illinois has totaled nine or more hits in each of its last five MAC games and is hitting .339 over that span.
-The Huskies' streak of 12 consecutive games with a stolen base ended Saturday.
-NIU-
