Final Stats

UE 8, NIU 6 

EVANSVILLE, Ind. - The NIU baseball team got off to hot start in Sunday’s finale at Evansville (6-4), scoring two runs in the first and three in the second, as NIU (1-10) would go on to lead 5-1 after five. However, the Huskies could not hold off a Purple Aces rally and despite NIU’s effort to overcome the deficit, the Huskies fell UE, 8-6.

Seniors Justin Fletcher (Pekin, Ill./Illinois Central College) and Stephen Letz (Dyer, Ind./South Suburban College) each recorded two hits with Fletcher adding a run. Brian Sisler (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb) led the Huskies with a two RBI double in the second. On the mound, Ryan Olson (Sterling, Ill./Newman Central Catholic) hurled 5.1 innings in his second start of the season, striking out five and walk zero batters.

In the three scoring innings for the Huskies, all three leadoff runners reached base in the frame.

“We were inches away from winning a series this weekend. I talk a lot about the margin for error and how small it is at our level. One play, one at bit and one pitch is the difference between winning and losing, and right now we’re still trying to learn what it takes to win on a consistent basis,” said Head Coach Mike Kunigonis.

“We gave ourselves a chance to win all weekend but we now need to take the next step and get it done. There were definitely a ton of positives to take away but we also still have a ton to work on. We’ll get back to work next week at practice and continue to work hard and prepare. Most of all, we need to start to believe,” said Kunigonis.

Northern Illinois University led the game off with three hits, accounting for two runs as Fletcher and Brad Wood (Orland Park, Ill./St. Laurence) started the game with back-to-back singles with both runners scoring on a single by Tommy Hook (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township).

In the second, NIU again put its first two baserunners on at the start of the frame and loaded the bases on a single by Fletcher. With two outs, Sisler doubled to the gap in left center to put the Huskies up, 5-0.

Evansville responded in the bottom of the third, scoring one run on a two-out double to left field and took its first lead of the game in the sixth inning as it accounted for six runs on five hits in the frame, including a grand slam with one out to put the Purple Aces up by two, 7-5.

NIU closed the gap to one run as Hook led the inning with a walk and advanced to third on two wild pitches, scoring on a Letz single, 7-6.

The Huskies will return to action next weekend, beginning its spring trip in Nashville, opening against Belmont. NIU and the Bruins will play a three-game series, starting Friday at 4 p.m., Central.