Final Stats

Ohio 4, NIU 2 

ATHENS, Ohio - NIU and Ohio played another white-knuckle ball game Saturday afternoon, swapping leads in the fourth with the Huskies (5-16, 1-1 MAC) almost coming back in the seventh. However, the Bobcats (10-12, 1-1 MAC) big bats evened the series with their 4-2 win.

Brandon Mallder (Bridgeview, Ill./St. Laurence) finished 2-for-4 at the plate and drew a rundown to score the first run of the game while Justin Fletcher (Pekin, Ill./Illinois Central College) hit his first home run of his NIU career. The NIU pitching staff only allowed one walk and three earned runs in the game.

"The past two days, the game was won by the team that capitalized on the other's mistakes. Yesterday it was us and today it was them. We had plenty of opportunities to score but we didn't get it done today," said Head Coach Mike Kunigonis. "We made a few mistakes on the mound, defensively and they made us pay. We need to bounce back and win the series tomorrow."

NIU went on the board first, scoring in the top of the fourth for the second-straight game, as Brad Wood (Orland Park, Ill./St. Laurence) drew a walk with one out. The sophomore moved up 90 feet on a single by Mallder and tagged up on a pop fly to centerfield to advance to third.

Mallder ran a decoy for Wood on third, attempting to steal second and forcing the throw from the catcher getting caught in a rundown that allowed Wood to score and put the Huskies on top, 1-0.

The Bobcats would take their first lead of the series in the bottom half of the inning as the first two runners reached base and John Adryan homered to give OU the 3-1 lead.

After Joe Hawks (Johnston, Iowa/Iowa Central College) settled things down in relief of starter Ryan Olson (Sterling, Ill./Newman Central Catholic) in the fifth, Fletcher ripped his first career home run with two outs and nobody on to lift Northern Illinois University within one run, 3-2.

NIU nearly reclaimed the lead as it loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh as Tommy Hook (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) reached via error, and Tony Brandner (Colgate, Wis./Winthrop) and Luke Yapp (Verona, Wis./Madison College) reached on a walk and a hit by pitch. However, a groundout by Johnny Zubek (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) would end NIU's rally attempt.

Adryan hit his second home run of the game in the bottom of the eighth to push the Bobcats up, 4-2.

Both Hawks and Olson hurled 4.0 innings on the mound as they combined for seven hits, four strikeouts and only one walk. Hawks has only allowed one run in his last six innings of work while his 4.0 innings were a new personal-best in relief.

The Huskies and Bobcats will close the series tomorrow with an Easter Sunday showdown at Bob Wrenn Stadium. First pitch is set for noon central.