Final Stats

NIU-BC DH Box Scores 

GLENDALE, Ariz. - NIU Baseball (0-3) dropped both games in its doubleheader to Boston College (3-0) Saturday, nearly rallying in the second game as it fell, 2-1. The Huskies dropped the first game to the Eagles, 5-0.

“We started the day right where we left off yesterday but we saw the team that our staff has been excited about since the fall in game two,” said Head Coach Mike Kunigonis. “We need to build on our effort level and execution from the second game and be ready to get a win tomorrow.”

Tommy Hook (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) went 2-for-4 in game one with a double while Justin Fletcher (Pekin, Ill./Illinois Central) drove in one run in game two. The Huskies starting pitchers - freshman William Anderson (Columbus, Ind./Columbus East) in game one and junior Aaron Rumfield (Lubbock, Texas/Midland College) in game two - combined for 12.0 innings and surrendered five total runs on the mound as NIU totaled 10 hits offensively.

“Our starting pitching was very good today and we got quality starts from Will and Aaron. The bullpen did a great job of keeping us in both games and giving us a chance to win as well,” Kunigonis added.

The Huskies and Eagles will close the series tomorrow at 1 p.m. Central at Camelback Ranch.

GAME ONE
Northern Illinois University accounted for three doubles in the contest, one from Hook, Brad Wood (Orland Park, Ill./St. Laurence) and Stephen Letz (Dyer, Ind./South Suburban College) but each Huskie was stranded on base as NIU totaled eight runners left on the base path in game one.

The Huskies nearly responded in the top of the fourth as Wood led the inning with his double and advanced to third on a single by Hook, however, a fly out by Carl Russell (Grayslake, Ill./Grayslake North) would end the frame.

Boston College scored one run in the second after back-to-back doubles led off the frame and accounted for two more in the fifth inning after a leadoff walk, an ensuing double and a two-out single.

The Eagles added two more runs in the eighth inning, propping up the Huskies one last time in the ninth inning as Hook accounted for his double and advanced to third with two outs. The junior would not advance home as Letz struck out to end the game.

GAME TWO
Alex Smith (Mahomet, Ill./Parkland College), making his first start of the season, finished 1-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base in the eighth which led to a run as Fletcher doubled to score the senior.

Smith’s run brought NIU to within one run, 2-1, and put the tying run on second base with two outs but the Eagles made a pitching to strike Wood out and end the threat.

Boston College freshman pitcher Jacob Stevens made the most of his collegiate debut, tossing 6.0 innings and fanning eight batters on the mound while scattering three hits.

Tony Brandner (Richfield, Wis./Winthrop) tripled off of Stevens in the second inning with one out but was stranded on base as the Huskies nearly got to the freshman early.

The Eagles scored their only runs of the game in the fourth inning, accounting for two hits with the runners advancing on a throwing error to help score the first run of the game.

The NIU defense prevented BC from scoring in the fifth as the Eagles had runners on second and third with one out as Brian Sisler (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb), Wood and Hook helped turn a 6-4-3 double play.