Final Stats

TOLEDO - Justin Fletcher (Pekin, Ill./Illinois Central College) singled to score Malique Ziegler (Des Moines, Iowa/Des Moines East) from second base in the top of the ninth inning as NIU (15-24, 5-10 MAC) defeated Toledo (14-25, 8-7 MAC) in game two of Saturday's doubleheader, 4-3.

The Huskies dropped a pitchers duel in game one of the doubleheader, 4-0. NIU combined for 19 hits on the day, including 11 in the second game of the day to lead the Huskies to victory.

"It's not how we wanted to come out of the weekend but we had to fight for everything we got this weekend. Our backs were against the wall after dropping the first two," said Head Coach Mike Kunigonis. "We fought through adversity and found a way to win game three. It was the first time all year I saw our team find a way to win. I hope to see more of it going into the home stretch of MAC play."

Sophomore Andrew Frankenreider (Peoria, Ill./Dunlap) picked up his first career win in game two, tossing 2.2 innings in relief of Seth Fuller (Moline, Ill./Black Hawk College), who hurled a career-high 6.2 innings. Ziegler scored two runs, reaching base in both plate appearances.

Brian Sisler was NIU's top hitter of the day, going 5-for-8 with a walk for an on-base percentage of .667 and an average of .625.

The Huskies will return to action Wednesday when it plays at No. 14 Iowa. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. Central.

GAME ONE
The Huskies finished the first contest with eight hits, accounting for a combined seven hits in the final five innings of the game. Though NIU placed seven runners on base in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, the Huskies were unable to bring any runners around.

In the top of the ninth, trailing 4-0, NIU put the tying run to the plate as the Huskies earned two walks and one hit by pitch to juice the sacks with two outs. Brad Wood (Orland Park, Ill./St. Laurence) would line a ball to right centerfield that looked like it would drop but centerfielder John Martillotta made the catch to end the ball game.

NIU left 12 runners on base in the contest, five of which were in scoring position in the last four innings of the game. Sisler was a perfect 4-for-4 day at the plate with four singles.

GAME TWO
After surrendering one run in the bottom of the first inning, NIU responded with two runs to take a one run lead, 2-1. Carl Russell (Grayslake, Ill./Grayslake North) reached base on a fielder's choice and quickly advanced to third on an infield single by Alex Smith (Mahomet, Ill./Parkland College). Smith would then force himself in a run down with the Rockets infield, allowing Russell to score on double steal and tie the game, 1-1.

Fletcher gave NIU its first lead of the day on the next at-bat, hitting a single to centerfield and scoring Smith from second. Smith slid under the tag of catcher Lucas Sokol to plate the run.

NIU scored one more run in the seventh inning to take a 3-1 in the contest as Smith walked to reach base with one out. Ziegler entered the game as a pinch runner for Smith and immediately stole second. He would go onto score from second on a single by Gasser to increase NIU's lead.

The Rockets knotted it up in the bottom of the frame with two runs, scoring on NIU's starting pitcher Fuller, who finished the game with 6.2 innings, a new career-high. Frankenreider entered the game in relief, holding the Rockets scoreless in his 2.1 innings of work with two strikeouts and one hit allowed.

Ziegler would score the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning as he singled with two outs and stole second base to move into scoring position. A single by Fletcher would score Ziegler from second to clinch the NIU victory.

Fletcher finished 3-for-4 in the game with two RBI while Smith and Jason Gasser (Dyer, Ind./Mt. Carmel) each collected two hits. Gasser also had an RBI while Smith had an RBI.