March 6, 2009

Final Stats

Final Box

Carbondale, Ill. - The Northern Illinois baseball team opened up its three-game series against Southern Illinois with an 8-4 win on Friday afternoon at Abe Martin Field behind an efficient offense that scored eight runs on ten hits and scored in five of the first six innings.

The Huskies (3-6) struck quickly, never looking back, by scoring a pair of runs in the first inning and then doing so again in the third and fourth frames to go up 6-0. Then NIU added a run apiece in the fifth and sixth inning to keep a six-run edge, 8-2, after SIU (3-8) scored two in the fifth.

"We started the game out in good shape," said NIU head coach Ed Mathey. "Alex Beckmann started the first inning with a walk and then Dave Reynolds capped it off with a homerun that carried well with the wind. Then we started the fourth inning off with another walk and had a nice two-out, two-strike hit by Beckmann. Anytime you have a lead, it's nice to add runs and keep momentum on our side."

Junior Dave Reynolds (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) started the scoring off with a two-run homer to right field in the first inning after freshman Alex Beckmann (Batavia, Ill./Batavia) reached with a lead-off walk. Beckmann was again involved in the two-run third inning as he walked with one out and senior Matt Behren (Elmwood Park, Ill./Holy Cross) followed with a single to set up junior Jordin Hood (Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Lake Zurich), who plated both runners with a double to right center. After scoring a pair of runs, Beckmann then drove in two with a single to left field in the fourth, scoring sophomore Joe Etcheverry (Bakersfield, Calif./Centennial), who walked, and freshman Troy White (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young), who singled.

In the fifth, lead-off hitter senior Justin Behm (Downers Grove, Ill./North) launched his first homer of the season over the left field fence. Hood then drove in another run in the sixth with a single to left field that scored sophomore Marvin Sanchez (Chicago, Ill./Clemente Academy), who reached on a walk.

Huskie starter Andy Deain (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge) picked up the win (2-0) by going a career-best seven innings, surrendering two unearned runs on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts. SIU starter Adam Curynski took the loss (1-1) after giving up six earned runs on seven hits and four walks with four strikeouts in 3.2 innings.

"Andy Deain was outstanding today," Mathey said. "If we had played better defense up the middle, he could have gone the distance. He kept his pitch count low and threw strikes. I can't say enough about him today. He kept his composure in that fifth inning jam and made pitches to get out of it after a couple of potential double play balls were not converted."

Behren and Hood led the offensive attack for NIU as each player recorded multiple hits. Behren went 3-for-5 with a run scored while Hood went 2-for-4 with three RBI and a stolen base. Beckmann reached base three times on two walks and a hit in two at-bats, scoring twice along with driving in a pair of runs. Reynolds went 1-for-4 with two RBI a run scored, a homer and a walk. Behm went 1-for-4 as well with a solo homer.

"Alex did a great job offensively," said Mathey. "He did exactly what we needed him to do. He set the plate for the others with walks and had a big two-run single.

"Jordin Hood and Matt Behren did a great job too with each getting a few hits. It was a nice game, but now we have to get ready to come out to face these same guys tomorrow and do it again."

Kelly led SIU with two hits and three RBI while Murphy tallied a hit and a run scored. Additionally, Roberts went 1-for-3 with two runs scored.

The Salukis scored two runs in the fifth inning, taking advantage of two NIU errors, as Scott Elmendorf's RBI fielder's choice grounder to short scored Aaron Roberts and Sanchez's errant throw allowed the runners to advance one base each. After Deain struck out Michael Stalter, Mark Kelly singled to right to score Chris Murphy, who reached a Beckmann error. Deain then ended the inning by getting Wade Dutton to ground into a 4-6-3 double play.

In the ninth, SIU pushed a pair of runs across after a single by Roberts and Elmendorf was hit by a pitch from freshman Kyle Glancy (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park-River Forest) set up Kelly's two-run single. Sophomore Tom Zelasko (Lansing, Ill./Mt. Carmel) then came in to replace Glancy and after he walked Chris Serritella, he got Jordan Sivertsen to hit into a fielder's choice force out at second base to end the game.

The two teams will face each other again tomorrow at 2 p.m. CT as the Huskies send lefty junior Chuck Lukanen (Lombard, Ill./North Iowa Area C.C.) (0-2, 3.00 ERA, seven walks and 11 strikeouts) to the mound to go up against Saluki righty Nathan Forer (0-1, 5.56 ERA, two walks, seven strikeouts). The game can be followed live via GameTracker on www.niuhuskies.com and streaming video can be seen on www.siusalukis.com.

Huskie Notes

- NIU has now won four of its last five games against SIU.

- The Huskies have had at least one player tally multiple hits in all nine games, led by Jordin Hood, who has five.

- NIU bullpen's scoreless innings streak came to an end with two outs in the ninth inning. The streak had grown to 11.1 innings and in that span, Huskie pitchers combined to give up six hits and three walks with seven strikeouts.

- Andy Deain has not allowed an earned run in his last 12 innings of work, earning two wins during that stretch while allowing nine hits and two walks with eight strikeouts.