March 13, 2009

Final Stats

Final Box

Cape Girardeau, Mo. - With the game tied 6-6 in the eighth inning, Kenton Parmley hit a two-run homerun with one out to spark Southeast Missouri State (8-5) to an 8-6 win over Northern Illinois (4-10) on Friday afternoon at Capaha Field.

Parmley's decisive homer in the eighth inning came after Justin Wheeler led off with an infield single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kody Campbell, forcing NIU to bring in sophomore Zach Oates (Wheaton, Ill./North) to replace sophomore Tom Zelasko (Lansing, Ill./Mt. Carmel). Oates' first pitch to Parmley was then deposited over the left field fence.

"It was a battle today," said NIU head coach Ed Mathey. "They are a veteran club and it showed today. They scored four runs with two outs and no one on in the fourth. Then we got to the eighth and they got the leadoff guy on and over with a sac bunt. After Tom had gone over three innings, we decided to go with Zach because we felt it presented a better matchup. Unfortunately, his pitch caught a little bit too much of the plate. I'd do it again if given the opportunity. I give credit to them though, they did a nice job."

SEMO reliever Andy Stephens (1-0) was credited with the win by getting one out in the seventh and three in the eight without giving up anything to the Huskies while striking out one batter. SEMO reliever Jim Klocke earned the save by pitching a perfect ninth with two strikeouts. Redhawk starter Kyle Gumieny lasted 4.2 innings, surrendering five earned runs on 11 hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Zelasko took the loss (1-1) after going a career-high 3.1 innings, giving up just an earned run on one hit and a walk with one strikeout. Huskie senior starter Andy Deain (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge) pitched the first four innings, allowing six earned runs on 10 hits and three walks while tying a career-best six strikeouts.

A pair of Redhawk hitters registered three hits and each drove in a run while Matt Wagner scored one run and Wheeler scored two runs to complete their three-hit performances. Trenton Moses and Parmley each drove in two runs while Tony Spencer scored two.

The Huskies had a season-best five hitters tally multiple hits. Freshman Alex Jones (Kansas City, Kan./Piper) led the way by going 3-for-4 with his first collegiate hit, run and RBI. He led NIU with two runs driven in and scored two as well. Freshman Alex Beckmann (Batavia, Ill./Batavia) and sophomore Joe Buonavolanto (Willowbrook, Ill./Hinsdale South) each has two hits and an RBI. Seniors Justin Behm (Downers Grove, Ill./North) and Matt Behren (Elmwood Park, Ill./Holy Cross) also had a pair of hits while Behm scored two runs and Behren scored one. Junior Jordin Hood (Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Lake Zurich) and freshman Troy White (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young) each had a hit and a run driven in.

"Alex Jones had a very nice game, getting his first hit and RBI," said Mathey. "He also came up just short on homer that maybe goes out on a windier day. We are disappointed with the loss obviously, but the guys are battling. It was nice to see Justin Behm get things going a bit and Buonavolanto had a good game as well. Overall though it was a good performance."

Both teams scored a run in the first inning, but failed to capitalize on bases-loaded opportunities as Klocke drove in SEMO's run with a single to left-center and NIU scored its run on Jones' sacrifice fly to right with the bases loaded that missed going over the fence by only a few feet.

The Redhawks scored four runs with two outs in the fourth inning as Moses did the most damage with a two-run double to right. Wheeler had a run-scoring double and Campbell had an RBI single.

The Huskies scored five runs with two outs. Buonavolanto drove in the first with a single in the fourth innings to make the score 5-2 in SEMO's favor. After a fourth inning RBI single by Wagner put the Redhawks up 6-2, NIU scored three more two-out runs in the fifth to pull within one, 6-5, as White drove in a run with a single, Jones drove in two with a single and Beckmann drove in NIU's fifth run with another single. Then the Huskies tied the fame by scoring their fifth two-out run on Hood's single in the seventh that scored Jones, who reached on a single and advanced to third on an errant pick-off attempt.

"I thought our all-around approach at the plate was good," Mathey said. "We capitalized on some situations and didn't on others. After they scored those four runs with two outs, we had to understand that we were capable of doing the same and that was good for our confidence when we did that throughout the game."

The teams play again tomorrow in a doubleheader that starts at noon CT. The Redhawks will send left-handed starter James Leigh to the mound in the first game and have yet to announce a pitcher for the second. The Huskies will go with current Mid-American Conference West Division Pitcher of the Week junior Chuck Lukanen (Lombard, Ill./North Iowa Area C.C.) and freshman Chris Wakefield (Canton, Ga./Cherokee), but have not decided on the order yet. Fans can listen to the games by visiting www.ESPN1220.com.

Huskie Notes

- Dave Reynolds extended his career-best hitting streak to 10 games.

- Jordin Hood extended his hitting streak to nine games.

- Troy White now has a five-game hitting streak.

- The Huskies have had a player get multiple hits in all 14 games this season, led by Jordin Hood, Dave Reynolds and Troy White, who have five apiece.

- With 14 hits today, the Huskies tied their season-high and recorded their seventh game with 10 or more hits.