Final Stats

BC 5, NIU 1 

GLENDALE, Ariz. - NIU held Boston College scoreless for seven innings, including the final four of the 2016 season opener Friday as it attempted a late rally at Camelback Ranch. However, the efforts weren’t enough as the Huskies fell to the Eagles, 5-1.

“Both teams had some opening day jitters coming out today,” said Head Coach Mike Kunigonis. “Now that game one is in the books we can get back to playing Huskieball. Good teams make you pay for mistakes and miscues and Boston College is a good team.”

Brad Wood (Orland Park, Ill./St. Laurence) went 1-for-4 at the plate with a ninth-inning RBI, after tossing a perfect ninth on the mound. Brian Sisler (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb) was hit by a pitch in the finale frame to score the Huskies lone run. Senior Justin Fletcher (Pekin, Ill./Illinois Central) finished 1-for-3 at the plate, reaching base twice.

In his debut for Northern Illinois University, pitcher Joe Hawks (Johnston, Iowa/Iowa Central) hurled six innings, fanning three batters and scattering seven hits while surrendering five runs.

NIU and the Eagles combined for three baserunners in the first three innings with the Huskies’ defense stepping up and preventing any damage in the third, turning a 6-4-3 double play to keep the game scoreless after BC’s leadoff runner reached via error.

Boston College recorded a one-out triple in the fourth and followed up with a walk before registering a home run to left field to score the first runs of the game, 3-0. Another triple and a single would score the Eagles fourth run of the game.

“One inning was the difference in the ball game today. We couldn’t stop the big inning and usually, the team with that big inning wins the game. The great thing about game one is that it’s behind us and we have a doubleheader tomorrow to bounce back,” Kunigonis added.

After surrendering one more run in the fifth, 5-0, Hawks settled and retired the side in order, capping his afternoon with a strikeout.

Jordan Ruckman (Kankakee, Ill./Herscher), who redshirted last season, tossed 2.0 innings in relief for the Huskies, fanning one batter and walking one.

With one out in the ninth, Sisler reached base and advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches, setting up Woods’ 1-2 single to right center field, 5-1, to put runners on first and second. Back-to-back to strikeouts would end NIU’s rally.

The Huskies and Eagles will return to action tomorrow for a doubleheader, starting at 1 p.m. Central.