May 2, 2009

Final Stats

Final Box

Mount Pleasant, Mich. - After Central Michigan rallied for three runs in the fourth inning to take a 5-4 lead, Northern Illinois put up a pair of runs in each of the fifth and sixth frames to go up 8-5, while NIU starter Chris Wakefield (Canton, Ga./Cherokee) hung a zero in the fifth and the Huskie bullpen finished the final four innings in flawless fashion to give the Huskies (17-28, 8-11 Mid-American Conference) an 11-5 win over the Chippewas (20-25, 8-12) with the opportunity for a series sweep tomorrow.

"It's good to get the series win on a Saturday, even better when you're on the road," said NIU head coach Ed Mathey.

Zach Oates (Wheaton, Ill./North) and Tom Zelasko (Lansing, Ill./Mt. Carmel) combined to throw the last four innings for the Huskies to help Wakefield (1-4) get his first collegiate win after he battled through five frames, allowing five earned runs on seven hits with three strikeouts. Oates took over for Wakefield to start the sixth and threw 2.1 innings, giving up just two hits and striking out two batters. Zelasko finished the final 1.2 innings to earn his fourth save, did not give up a hit, and recorded one strikeout with his only flaw being a hit batter in the ninth.

"To throw strikes and make them try to beat you is good," Mathey said of his three pitchers today that did not allow a walk, marking the first time NIU has done so since May 23, 2007 against Kent State in the MAC Tournament in Ypsilanti, Mich. "Wakefield battled and did a good job. Oates did a great job today. He has really been throwing the ball well lately. "Zelasko did a nice job, fell behind a couple hitters, but made good pitches when he had to. Those two throwing four scoreless innings is huge for us. Hopefully we continue our good pitching into tomorrow."

Matt Behren (Elmwood Park, Ill./Holy Cross) led the way for the NIU offense as he tied a career-high with four hits and continued his power surge this year, increasing his career-best homerun total to seven with a solo shot to left in the fourth inning. He also scored a run and his RBI ties his career-high 31 RBI, which he totaled in 2007.

"Matt swung the bat well today," said Mathey. "The one out he did make was a fly out to the left field wall."

Joe Etcheverry (Bakersfield, Calif./Centennial) sealed the game with his only hit of the day, a three-run homer to right-center with two outs in the ninth which gave him four RBI on the game, increasing his career-high homerun and RBI totals to three and 24, respectively.

"Etcheverry did a good job," Mathey said. "Anytime you get four RBI from your eighth hitter it's great. He hit a big homerun for us."

Troy White (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young), who scored two runs, Dave Reynolds (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg), and Alex Jones (Kansas City, Kan./Piper), who scored a run, each had two hits and an RBI for the NIU offense. Jordin Hood (Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Lake Zurich) tallied three hits, two runs, and two stolen bases. Additionally, Justin Behm (Downers Grove, Ill./North) scored three runs, notched a double, drove in a run, drew two walks, and stole a base.

"It's always good when your middle of the order produces like it did today," Mathey said. "Hood had three hits and they pitched him tough today. Their lefty Dan Taylor is a good pitcher. He's a senior and he's been through it. He threw well early, but we kept working. It's good to see our guys' approach right now. They are focused and are really using the field well."

In the game-deciding fifth inning with Hood on third after a single and Behm on first after a walk, the Huskies executed a delayed double steal with one out. The initial throw went to second and Behm got caught in a pickle, but then Hood broke for home beating the throw to tie the game at 5, while Behm reached second safely. Behren followed with a single and then White gave NIU the lead with an RBI fielder's choice force out at second that ended up giving CMU starter Dan Taylor (3-6) the loss after surrendering four earned runs on nine hits and three walks with five strikeouts in 5.1 innings.

NIU tallied two more runs in the sixth on a two-out RBI single by Reynolds and a two-out RBI double by Behm.

For the fourth time in the last five games, the Huskies scored a run in the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead after a throwing error allowed Jones to score from first base on a grounder to shortstop. But CMU fired right back with two runs in the bottom of the frame on an RBI ground out by Brenden Emmett and an RBI sacrifice fly by Matt Faiman.

NIU tied the game in the second on an RBI sacrifice fly by Etcheverry, and then scored two more runs in the fourth to take 4-2 lead after Behren's solo blast and Jones' RBI single. However, the Chippewas came back again to take the lead with three runs on a two-run homer by William Arnold and an RBI double by Rhett Goodmiller before NIU took the lead for good in the next inning.

Arnold led the CMU offense, going 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI on his first homer of the season. Emmet collected two hits and an RBI, while Billy Anderson had two hits and a run.

The teams finish the series tomorrow at 12 p.m. CT as the Huskies search for their second series sweep of the year by sending lefty Brandon Copp (0-2, 12.21, 14 IP, 24 H, 11 BB, 10 SO) to the mound to face CMU lefty Trent Howard (3-2, 5.50, 37.2 IP, 48 H, 9 BB, 31 SO). The game will have live stats, audio and video available on www.cmuchippewas.com.

Huskie Notes

- Oates has gone four straight appearances without out surrendering an earned run, giving up just three hits and two walks with seven strikeouts in 5.1 innings.

- Hood tallied his team-best 21st multi-hit game of the season, and Reynolds totaled his 20th.

- NIU has scored a run in the first inning in 13 of its last 17 games, and 24 times overall.

- The Huskies have tallied 10 or more hits 26 times this season.

- NIU has totaled 10 or more runs 12 times this year.

- Reynolds has 30 RBI in his last 16 games.