Final Stats

NIU 5, WMU 2 

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The NIU baseball team (11-22, 6-4 MAC) rallied in the top of the ninth, scoring five unanswered runs at Western Michigan University (8-22, 1-6 MAC) Friday as the Huskies took the series opener over the Broncos, 5-2.

Tony Brandner (Colgate, Wis./Winthrop) recorded the game-winning single, driving in two runs. Brandon Mallder (Bridgeview, Ill./St. Laurence) and Brian Sisler (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb) each went 2-for-4 with a run in the ninth while closer Ryne Blanton (Spring Grove, Ill./Madison College) improved to 6-for-6 in save opportunities in 2016.

“This team never gives up and has a ton of heart. Great grind out win. We received clutch hitting when we needed it again and scoring five in the ninth is a testament to that," said Head Coach Mike Kunigonis. “Will didn’t have his best stuff today but scrambled all game and battled to keep us in it. He has shown maturity beyond his years all season long and Blanton was fantastic again for his sixth save.

“Western Michigan is a good team and has a ton of talent. We need to continue to battle, be ready to play tomorrow and be ready to win a series,” Kunigonis added.

Both Northern Illinois University and Western Michigan worked fast as hurlers Keegan Akin and William Anderson (Columbus, Ind./Columbus East) engaged in a pitchers duel on the Robert J. Bobb Stadium rubber.

Scoreless through four innings with neither team able to capitalize with runners on base, runs were at a premium in the contest.

The Broncos drew first blood in the bottom of the fifth with two outs as Miller was hit by a pitch, setting up WMU’s top-hitter Evan Nelson, who homered down the right field line to break the shutout, 2-0.

Anderson tidied up on the mound after the home run, allowing only two more runners on base in his final three innings of work. The freshman took the momentum for the Broncos in the sixth as he turned an unassisted double play, forcing Mitchell Ho to pop up on a failed sacrifice bunt attempt and tagging out the runner between third and home to end the inning.

The Huskies' bats remained silent until the ninth frame, entering the ninth with two hits to their credit.

NIU exploded for five hits and two walks in the ninth, started by a leadoff walk to Tommy Hook (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township). Back-to-back-to-back singles by Carl Russell (Grayslake, Ill./Grayslake North), Sisler and Mallder forced the Broncos to make their third pitching change of the game as NIU scratched its first run of the game.

A full count walk to Stephen Letz (Dyer, Ind./South Suburban College) tied the game, 2-2, allowing Brandner to drive the first pitch of his at-bat through the right side, scoring Mallder and Sisler to give the Huskies a 4-2 lead. A single to the mound by Luke Yapp (Verona, Wis./Madison College) scored Letz from third for Northern Illinois’ final insurance run.

Blanton stepped on for Anderson in the ninth, retiring the first batter he faced before allowing a single and a pair of fielder’s choice groundouts to end the game and clinch his sixth save of the season.

Anderson tossed 8.0 innings for the Huskies, scattering six hits and two walks as he struck out three batters. WMU’s Akin, who starred in the Cape Cod League for the Bourne Braves, tossed 7.0 on the mound, allowing two hits, a walk and striking out six.

The Huskies and Broncos will resume the series tomorrow at noon Central at Robert J. Bobb Stadium in Kalamazoo, Mich.