Final Stats

NIU 17, WMU 3 

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Hanging seven runs in the first and fourth innings with three home runs in the first, NIU (12-22, 7-4 MAC) dispatched Western Michigan (8-23, 1-7 MAC) to clinch the series Saturday in a 17-3 triumph.

Ryan Olson (Sterling, Ill./Newman Central Catholic) picked up his second win of the season as Justin Fletcher (Pekin, Ill./Illinois Central College), Brandon Mallder (Bridgeview, Ill./St. Laurence) and Carl Russell (Grayslake North, Ill./Grayslake North) all collected three hits with Russell and Fletcher tallying three RBI. Brian Sisler (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb) led with four RBI, including three on his second home run of the season.

Senior Tony Brandner (Colgate, Wis./Winthrop) did not record an official at-bat in the game but was hit by a pitch in the first then earned four walks, tying the NIU single game record for walks in a game. The eight Huskie starters in the lineup that recorded at-bats all recorded hits in the contest.

"That was a good win today to clinch the series. We need to stay locked in and come to the park ready to go tomorrow. Olson did a great job and battled some adversity to get the win. The bats did a great job too to take an early lead, stay locked in and separate several times in the ball game. We hadn't done that this year so it was nice to see them do that," said Head Coach Mike Kunigonis.

The Huskies batted through the order in the first as eight-straight batters reached base in the frame before an out was recorded, resulting in two pitching changes and seven runs in the inning.

With runners on first and second after Mallder's RBI single up the middle, Sisler drove a 2-0 pitch over the left field fence to put the Huskies on top, 4-0. Stephen Letz (Dyer, Ind./South Suburban College) followed with a solo home run with reliever Matt McConnell on the mound, becoming the first Huskies to hit back-to-back home runs since Dave Reynolds and Brian Smith in May 2010 versus Milwaukee.

It did not end there as Brandner was struck by a pitch, setting up Russell's two-run homer that gave NIU its early 7-0 lead. It was the first time since the season finale at Ball State in 2015 the Huskies had multiple players homer in the same inning as Russell and Nate Ruzich combined forces in Muncie last season.

WMU responded with a run of its own in the bottom of the first but the Huskies rattled off nine unanswered runs in the third and fourth innings, including another seven spot in the fourth to take a 16-1 lead. Five different Huskies tallied RBI in the fourth frame.

Russell recorded two hits in the fourth, including an RBI single, matching Fletcher's two-hit inning earlier this season versus Illinois on March 19.

NIU scored its final run of the game in the sixth inning as Mallder scored on a wild pitch to take a 17-2 lead.

After Olson stepped off in the sixth, the Northern Illinois bullpen finished strong as it scattered six hits and three walks in the final four frames.

The Huskies and Broncos will close the series tomorrow at noon Central.