May 19, 2011
Final Stats
Final Box in PDF Format 
Western Michigan 5, Northern Illinois 3
Robert J. Bobb Stadium | Kalamazoo, Mich.
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
R
|
H
|
E
|
NIU
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
6
|
1
|
| WMU |
0
|
0
|
2
|
0 |
2
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
X
|
5
|
9
|
3
|
W: Stroud (7-4) L: Oates (4-6) S: Heckaman (9)
|
|
|
|
| |
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Northern Illinois was unable to solve Western Michigan starter Brian Stroud as the Huskies dropped a 5-3 decision at Robert J. Bobb Stadium in the first of a three-game, regular season-ending Mid-American Conference series on Thursday.
Stroud (7-4) took away any hope NIU (27-25, 14-11 MAC) had of winning the MAC West Division regular season title by allowing three unearned runs on five hits and no walks with seven strikeouts in eight strong innings.
Entering the series, the Huskies had to sweep the Broncos (25-27, 12-12 MAC) and have Eastern Michigan take two of three games at home against Central Michigan in order to win the West.
With the division title opportunity gone, the Huskies will look to improve their seeding in their first MAC Tournament appearance since 2008. Prior to the game, NIU held the fifth seed and can get as high as the fourth seed now, depending on the outcome of the West title-deciding EMU-CMU series. For that to happen, the Huskies would need to win both of their remaining games versus WMU and have CMU win its series over EMU.
"We didn't do enough to win today," said NIU head coach Ed Mathey. "We have goals left and it starts with winning this series. If we go out and do that, we have an opportunity to be a home team in the tournament and get 16 MAC wins, which will tie a high for us. We just have to come out and play right and play to win."
With the game delayed 30 minutes by rain, both teams did not score until exchanging a pair of runs in the third inning. But it was the Broncos' two runs in the fifth that proved to be the difference as WMU overcame three errors to nab the series opener.
Two of the errors were the reasons why NIU scored in the third. Brett Frantini led off the inning by reaching on a two-base error by right fielder Jack Scanlon. Following a bunt single by Tom Kotis that moved Frantini to third, Jamison Wells then reached on an error by second baseman Zach Thoma. Frantini was going to score any way, but the miscue enable Kotis to move into third base and score on the ensuing sacrifice fly by Cory Krupp.
Unfortunately for the Huskies, starter Zach Oates (4-6) could not hold the lead. The tall right-hander surrendered a walk to Dustin Ditsworth to begin the frame and then mishandled a sacrifice bunt by Thoma, letting both runners reach safely.
After a single by Jimmy Martinez, Troy Forton delivered an RBI single to right. Oates calmed down to strike out the next two Broncos, but unleashed a run-scoring wild pitch before escaping the inning.
The Huskie ace then surrendered a two-out, two-run double in the fifth to Ryan McMillin before ending his day. In taking the loss, Oates gave up the four runs (three earned) on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts, marking the only of his 13 starts in which he did not throw at least six innings during the regular season.
"The third inning was a little disappointing," Mathey said. "We just had two runs cross after they kicked the ball around. We go out and give them momentum right back. Both the third and fifth innings runs started with walks.
"We have some things we will talk about, but I tip my cap to Western Michigan. They had a goal and played like it, and did a nice job. We have to be better tomorrow."
Alex Beckmann gave NIU a glimmer of hope in the sixth with an RBI single to left, scoring Troy White after he singled and stole second. However, WMU answered in the seventh with a Scanlon RBI double to keep the two-run advantage.
Beckmann also reached on a one-out single in the ninth to bring the tying run to the plate against Eric Heckaman, but the closer shut the door as Beckmann never made past first base. The one-inning, two-strikeout effort was good for Heckaman's ninth save.
The teams resume the series tomorrow at 2 p.m. CT and Saturday at 12 p.m. Friday's pitching match-up presents NIU LHP Tom Barry (3-5 | 3.88 ERA) versus WMU LHP Casey Webber (4-5 | 2.26 ERA). The finale will feature NIU RHP Tony Manville (8-1 | 4.69 ERA) against WMU LHP Steve Laudicina (4-3 | 4.26 ERA). Live stats for each game will be available on WMUBroncos.com.
-NIU-
