Final Stats

Murray State DH Box Scores 

MURRAY, Ky. - NIU baseball split its doubleheader Saturday at Murray State, accounting for 33 hits and 24 runs as the Huskies (1-6) picked up their first win of the season at Murray State (4-2), 12-10. Northern Illinois University dropped the first game of the day, 15-12. Justin Fletcher (Pekin, Ill./Illinois Central) finished the day 8-for-10 at the plate with four RBI, two doubles, a triple, a sacrifice fly and a stolen base.

Fletcher went 4-for-5 in game one in six plate appearances, reaching base in 11-straight at-bats. The senior centerfielder went 4-for-5 in game two as well. Classmate Ryan Olson (Sterling, Ill./Newman Catholic) tossed 6.1 innings in relief in game two, striking out six and limiting the Racers to three runs to pick up his first win of the season.

“The closest comparison in sports I can give to today would be Ward vs. Gatti one and two. Tomorrow completes the trilogy and we gave ourselves a chance to split the series,” said Head Coach Mike Kunigonis. “This group of guys showed character the past two days. It could have been easy to quit and shut it down but the team never gave up and they deserved to win.”

“Ryan Olson was nothing less than great today. His individual performance n the mound won this game for us. The bats were hot and we need to keep them that way. Fletcher is feeling it and has the glow. Huskieball will keep battling tomorrow,” Kunigonis added.

The Huskies and Racers will close the series tomorrow at Reagan Field. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. Central. The game will be streamed live on the OVC Digital Network.

GAME ONE
The Huskies got off to a fast start against the Racers, scoring in the first four innings of the game, taking an 11-0 lead entering the bottom of the fourth inning.

Fletcher led the game with a double and was driven home by Brian Sisler (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb), who reached base via error.

The Huskies accounted for three more runs in the second, totaling four hits, as Brandon Malodor (Bridgeview, Ill./St. Laurence) hit a single to left field to score Tony Brandner (Richfield, Wis./Winthrop) from second. Fletcher would bring home the next two runs as Mallder scored from second and Carl Russell (Grayslake, Ill./Grayslake North) trotted home from third to take a 4-0 lead.

After scoring two unearned runs in the third via a wild pitch and a failed attempt at throwing out a runner at second, the Huskies had their biggest inning of the game as they scored five runs in the fourth, paced by Fletcher’s two singles.

The Huskies totaled seven singles in the inning, four of which scored runs. Johnny Zubek (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest), Joe Jumonville (Munster, Ind./Munster), Brandner, Russell and Mallder all recorded RBI in the inning.

Murray State responded with six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and five more in the fifth inning to even the game, 11-11.

The Huskies reclaimed the lead in the sixth inning as Jumonville doubled to lead the inning and was pushed to third on Mallder’s third single of the game. Jumonville scored on a sacrifice fly by Fletcher.

The Racers tied the game again in the bottom of the sixth, 12-12, and after a scoreless seventh inning accounted for three more runs in the bottom of the eighth as Brandon Gutzler cleared the bases with a double to seal the MSU win, 15-12.

The Huskies left 13 runners on base in the game and drew eight walks to compliment their 16 hits.

GAME TWO
The Huskies and Racers combined for 10 runs in the first inning with Murray State owning a 7-3 lead. MSU’s Tyler Lawrence hit a grand slam in the inning to lead the Racers.

Olson entered the game with runners on first and second with one out in the second inning. After striking out the first batter, the pitcher got defensive, recording the putout at first on a groundout to first base.

The Huskies then went on the offensive, scoring runs in the next five innings, as they scratched two runs across the plate in the third, three in the sixth and two more in the seventh lead, 12-10.

Zubek drove in the first run of the fourth on a sacrifice fly to right field with Brandner following up with a double to right centerfield.

Fletcher tripled in the fourth inning to push one run across in the fourth while Jumonville doubled in the fifth to tie the game, 7-7.

The Racers responded in the bottom of the fifth inning with three runs to retake a 10-7 lead in the ball game but the Huskies tied it back up in the top of the sixth, 10-10, as Fletcher and Wood hit back-to-back doubles to lead the frame, scoring the first run. A single by Sisler and another sacrifice fly by Zubek tied the game for NIU.

In the seventh, Jumonville led the inning with a single and advanced to third on two wild pitches, scoring on a groundout by Mallder to put the Huskies on top, 11-10. Wood added NIU’s insurance run as he scored Fletcher on a single to left field.

Joey Ceja (Ottawa, Ill./Heartland CC) closed the game out for NIU, tossing 1.1 innings as he allowed one hit and struck out one batter. The Huskie picked up his first save of the season in the effort.

Four different Huskies - Brad Wood (Orland Park, Ill./St. Laurence), Sisler, Zubek and Brandner - all recorded two RBI in the game with Wood, Sisler and Brander registering multiple hits. Wood finished 4-for-4 while Sisler went 3-for-5.