Final Stats

DeKALB - The NIU baseball team (21-29, 10-13 MAC) won the opening game of the series with Western Michigan (20-25, 12-11 MAC) Saturday afternoon as Jason Gasser (Dyer, Ind./Mt. Carmel) hit a walk-off single off the right field wall, 3-2. The Broncos won the second game of the day, 3-2, as it took the lead in the top of the ninth.

Huskies reliever Ryan Olson (Sterling, Ill./Newman Central Catholic) earned a victory and a loss out of the bullpen and now holds a 2-4 record on the season. Nate Ruzich (Joliet, Ill./South Suburban College) and Gasser each picked up two hits in game one. Both Brian Sisler (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb) and Johnny Zubek (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) hit solo home runs in game two.

"It was a bitter sweet day for Huskieball. I was extremely pleased with our effort and how we battled all day. We put ourselves in a great position to win the series tomorrow. I will take this effort level any day of the week. If the past two days are any indication of what tomorrow will bring, it's going to be great game to watch," said Head Coach Mike Kunigonis.

The Huskies and Broncos will close the series tomorrow afternoon at Ralph McKinzie Field. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. Central.

GAME ONE
The Huskies trailed early to WMU as the Broncos scored one run in the top of the first, 1-0, as Brett Sunde doubled and Jared Kujawa tripled with two outs. Starting pitcher Ben Neumann (Verona, Wis./Verona Area) settled down after the run, allowing no more runs in his 7.0 innings of work.

Neumann pitched his way out of a one out, bases loaded jam to end the seventh inning. He finished the game with three strikeouts and scattered four hits.

The performance by Neumann in the seventh shifted momentum back in NIU's favor in the bottom of the frame. Tied 1-1, following an RBI single by Zubek, Ruzich singled to lead off the seventh inning.

Ruzich made way for pinch runner Malique Ziegler (Des Moines, Iowa/Des Moines East), who advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Justin Fletcher (Pekin, Ill./Illinois Central College). After going to third on a balk, Ziegler scored on a sacrifice fly by Sisler to give the Huskies their first lead, 2-1.

With rain falling in the eighth, the games was delayed for 39 minutes in the middle of the inning, before being suspended to be resumed Saturday afternoon.

In the top of the ninth, WMU evened the game on a one out double down the right field line by Hunter Prince, 2-2. Joe Jumonville (Munster, Ind./Munster) earned a leadoff walk in the ninth and reached third following a sacrifice by Ziegler and an errant throw on a fielder's choice. On the first pitch of his at bat, Gasser roped a line drive over the right fielder and off the wall to pick up the Huskie victory, 3-2.

GAME TWO
Sisler started off the game with a leadoff homer, curling a ball around the pole in right field on a 3-1 pitch to put NIU on top, 1-0. It was the Huskies first game-opening home run of the season and the fourth leadoff homer of the season.

Western Michigan tied the game in the fourth inning on an error, 1-1, and took its first lead of the day in the top of the sixth as the Broncos singled twice with two outs and scored again on an error.

NIU responded in the bottom of the inning as Zubek hit a two out homer over the fence in left field on the first pitch of his at-bat to even the game, 2-2.

In the top of the ninth, the Broncos retook the lead, 3-2, on an RBI single by Prince. Making his first appearance in over month, Stephen Letz (Dyer, Ind./South Suburban College) earned a pinch hit walk, before being pinch ran for by Ziegler. The tying run reached third with two outs but was unable to come home as WMU reliever Gabe Berman struck out the final Huskie to even the series.

Prior to the game, NIU held its Senior Day ceremonies.