March 13, 2016
Final Stats
BU 15, NIU 13 
NASHVILLE - Junior Brian Sisler (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb) hit for the cycle in the series finale at Belmont (8-6), completing the effort in the seventh with a double as he drove in five runs and scored twice. However, the Huskies (2-12) were unable to rally past the Bruins as they dropped the game and the series, 15-13.
Sisler, who finished 4-for-6 at the plate, became the first player since catcher John Vanden Berg on March 18, 2000 versus Fordham to hit for the cycle. Stephen Letz (Dyer, Ind./South Suburban College) and Johnny Zubek (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) each drove home two runs with Zubek crossing home plate three times. Tommy Hook (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) collected three hits and an RBI.
“Unfortunately, we came up short again today. We battle and do enough to be right there but we haven’t learned how to win yet. We need to keep believing and playing hard,” said Head Coach Mike Kunigonis.
“Offensively, we were very good today. Sisler hitting for the cycle was great and I wish we could celebrate his individual success with a team win but it didn’t happen that way today. We need to find a way to get things done on the mound as a whole. Once we can get our bullpen going on a consistent basis, the sky is the limit for this group of young men,” added Kunigonis.
The Huskies and Bruins combined for seven runs in the first inning with NIU striking first blood in the top of the frame. Zubek singled with two outs and scored as Sisler tripled to the gap in left centerfield.
Belmont scored six runs in the bottom of the frame, including four on a grand slam by Clay Payne, to put the Bruins on top 6-1 in the inning as they amassed three hits.
The Huskies responded in the top of the second with three hits of their own as Letz led the inning with a solo homer to make it a 6-2 ball game. A double by Hook and a walk by Luke Yapp (Verona, Wis./Madison College), set up Justin Fletcher’s (Pekin, Ill./Illinois Central College) sacrifice line drive that cut the lead in half, 6-3.
NIU would climb to within two runs with runners on the corners as Brad Wood (Orland Park, Ill./St. Laurence) ran a decoy for Yapp on third as the sophomore got caught in a run down to score the transfer and make it a 6-4 game.
Starting pitcher Aaron Rumfield (Lubbock, Texas/Midland College) held the Bruins scoreless in the second with a little help from Hook at first base as the junior turned an unassisted double play. In the top of the third, NIU tied the game up as both Letz and Hook registered RBI singles with one out.
The Bruins hung two runs on the board in the third on reliever Donovin Sims (Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah Community) but after the sophomore settled down to get out of the inning, NIU reclaimed the lead in the top of the fourth with no outs as Wood led with a single and stolen base, setting up Zubek’s RBI single.
Sisler followed up with his first home run of the season, driving a 2-1 pitch over the fence in left centerfield to give NIU the one run lead, 9-8. Belmont tied the game with a leadoff homer by Brennan Washington in the bottom of the sixth and retook the lead at innings end with three more runs, 12-9.
Sisler’s capped his cycle performance with a double in the seventh, knocking in two runs to bring NIU within one run, 12-11, however, Belmont responded with three runs to push their lead back up to four runs, 15-11.
Northern Illinois University rebuked in the eighth as it scored two runs with one out, loading the bases on two walks and a hit by pitch. Wood scored one a he was beaned and Zubek drove in the other on a fielder’s choice, 15-13.
Northern Illinois University was unable to even the game in the ninth as the Bruins clinched the series.
The Huskies will return to action Tuesday night at Vanderbilt with first pitch slated for 6:30 p.m., Central on SEC Network Plus.
