May 1, 2011
Final Stats
Final Box in PDF Format 
Central Michigan 13, Northern Illinois 1
Theunissen Stadium | Mount Pleasant, Mich.
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1 |
2 |
3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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8
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9
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R
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H
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E
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NIU
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1
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0
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0 |
0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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1
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5
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3
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| CMU |
1
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7
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0
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3
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0
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0
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2
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0
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X
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13
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15
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4
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W: Sabol (4-3) L: Gonzales (4-5)
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Player of the Game
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Alex Jones
2-for-3 (.667)
1 RBI
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MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - For the first time in 2011 Mid-American Conference competition, Northern Illinois was swept in a series as the Huskies fell 13-1 to Central Michigan in the finale on Sunday afternoon at Theunissen Stadium. The series loss marks the first in five weeks for NIU, who hadn't lost a league series since dropping the first of the year to Bowling Green.
Doing the Huskies (20-21, 10-8 MAC) in was a seven-run second inning as starting pitcher Jeremy Gonzales (4-5) was roughed up for the third outing in a row, giving up seven runs (two earned) in just 1.1 innings on three hits and three walks.
Reigning MAC West Player of the Week Alex Jones started the Huskies off with a 1-0 lead in the top of the first after an RBI single to left scored Jamison Wells, who led off the game with a bunt single. But the lead would only hold up for a few minutes as Tyler Hall led off the first for CMU (24-20, 12-6 MAC) with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by Brendan Emmett. Then, the second inning happened and left the Huskies reeling.
After the first two runners of the second reached for the Chippewas, a throwing error by third baseman Troy White on Rod Helsen's sacrifice bunt attempt loaded the bases. Feeling the pressure, Gonzales walked Robbie Harman to force in a run, and after getting a force out at home, hit Emmett with a pitch to bring in another run. William Arnold followed with an RBI single and in came Jake Hermsen to relieve Gonzales.
Hermsen didn't fare much better, unfortunately. After striking out his first batter, the left-hander gave up a two-run single to Jordan Dean, and with help from a fielding error by first baseman Joe Etcheverry, the runners moved into second and third. Hermsen then unleashed a wild pitch to bring in the sixth run of the frame and Nate Theunissen followed with an RBI single to cap the scoring, leaving the Huskies down 8-1.
"Jeremy just didn't command the strike zone like he needed to," said NIU head coach Ed Mathey. "I felt we needed to make a change. The change we made wasn't the answer obviously. It was one of those situations where Jake had pitched well during the week and we were hoping he'd be able to help us out on the weekend. Unfortunately, it didn't work that way."
With a seven-run cushion to work with, CMU starter Jake Sabol (4-3) found the mound very comfortable as he threw seven innings of three-hit ball, allowing an unearned run with seven strikeouts and two walks.
"It was a combination of their pitchers executing their plan and us expanding our strike zone," said Mathey. "We let good pitches go by and swung at bad pitches. It was a tough weekend for our offensive approach."
The Huskies entered the weekend alone in first place in the MAC West Division, but series wins for Eastern Michigan and Toledo created a three-way tie with Central Michigan for first place in the West, while the Huskies fell into second place. With three weekends of MAC play left, NIU is still in prime position to qualify for the MAC Tournament after a two-year absence.
"We have three weekends left and we have to play our game," said Mathey. "Positions will still change and it starts with us next week at Eastern Michigan. We have to go out to win the series. There's going to be some jockeying in the standings. It's just a matter of regrouping and getting some momentum for next week."
NIU returns home to face Valparaiso Tuesday, May 3, at 3:05 p.m. CT at Ralph McKinzie Field.
-NIU-
