Final Stats

WESTFIELD, Ind. - Senior Ben Neumann (Verona, Wis./Verona Area) tossed seven shutout innings with five strikeouts in game one of NIU's (9-8) doubleheader with Purdue (6-10) to help defeat the Boilermakers, 4-1. The Huskies dropped game two to even the series, 10-2.

"We did a good job in game one to give us a chance to win the series. Ben gave us a great start and we played Huskieball for nine innings," said Head Coach Mike Kunigonis. "We came up short in game two but we have another opportunity tomorrow.

"We didn't play defense the way we're capable of in the second game and good teams will take advantage of that. Purdue cashed in. We will be ready to win a series tomorrow and I'm looking forward to a great game," said Kunigonis.

Neumann improved to 3-1 on the year and is 2-0 in his last three starts with an earned run average of 1.89 in that span. Stephen Letz (Dyer, Ind./South Suburban College) went 3-for-7 in both games with two RBI.

The Huskies and Boilermakers will close the series tomorrow afternoon at noon Central.

GAME ONE
Sisler put the Huskies on the board in the first inning with two men down and a 1-2 count with his first home run since Feb. 23, 2013 at Nevada as the Huskies went on top, 1-0.

NIU would tack on one more run in the second as leadoff hitters Micah McCulloch (Rochelle, Ill./Rochelle Township) and Tony Brandner (Richfield, Wis./Winthrop) singled and were put into scoring position on a Justin Fletcher (Pekin, Ill./Illinois Central College) sacrifice bunt. Joe Jumonville (Munster, Ind./Munster) scored McCulloch to put NIU up, 2-0.

On the mound, Neumann did not allow a hit in the first two innings of work though he did allow two walks in the first. The senior found his control as he only allowed one base runner in the fourth, fifth and sixth inning.

With Neumann in command on the mound, the Huskies gave support in the seventh as they extended their lead to four runs in the seventh as McCulloch and Brandner against led the inning off with hits, sparked by Brandner's first RBI triple of the season. A double by Jumonville would score Brandner from third, 4-0.

In the bottom of the seventh, with two runners on and in scoring position, Neumann worked his way out of the jam to keep the Huskies four run lead intact as he forced a groundout to Nate Ruzich (Joliet, Ill./South Suburban College) to end the inning.

Donovin Sims (Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah) and Frankenreider closed the game for Neumann, who totaled 7.0 innings, scattering three hits and striking out five with zero walks in his last six innings on the mound. Sims worked his way out of a jam in the eighth, limiting the Boilermakers to one run in the frame to setup Frankenreider, who tossed a perfect ninth to pick up his fourth save of the year, preserving the NIU victory, 4-1.

McCulloch finished a perfect 3-of-3 with a run and double, one of five extra base hits for the Huskies in the game. NIU totaled nine hits off Purdue's pitching staff.

GAME TWO
Purdue jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second, its first lead of the series off four hits in the frame. The Huskies cut the deficit in half in the third as Jumonville hit a leadoff double and scored on an RBI single from Letz, 2-1.

In the bottom of the third, the Boilermakers responded with two more runs to build a three-run lead, 4-1, as Jack Picchiotti hit a two-out home run on a full count. NIU again cut Purdue's lead in half as Letz again hit an RBI single to score Jumonville from second, 4-2.

Purdue would go on to score six more runs in the fifth, six and seventh innings, including four in the sixth frame, to take a 10-2 lead in the game.

Kevin Sweeney (Chicago, Ill./Fenwick) stepped onto the bump for the Huskies in the seventh inning, finishing the last 1.2 frames of the ball game with two strikeouts while not allowing a single baserunner or run in his time on the mound.

Starting pitcher Dirk Ormsby (Ligonier, Ind./Kellogg Community College) totaled five innings striking out three with four walks in a career-high 101 pitches. The Huskies committed three errors in the game.