April 3, 2016

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DeKALB - The NIU baseball team split its doubleheader Sunday afternoon versus Miami (12-14, 3-3 MAC), falling in game one, 2-0, before exploding offensively in game two with a 6-1 win. The Huskies (7-20, 3-3 MAC) starting pitchers, Ryan Olson (Sterling, Ill./Newman Central Catholic) and Donovin Sims (Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah Community), both tossed complete games against the RedHawks, marking the first time since May 2014 that NIU had consecutive complete-game efforts from its pitching staff.

The complete games were the first of their careers for Olson (1-5) and Sims (3-2), who both recorded career-highs in strikeouts as well with six apiece. Sims’ improved to 3-0 as a starter for the Huskies, yielding 1.56 earned runs in 23.1 innings as a starter.

“That was a good bounce-back win for us in the back end of today’s doubleheader. This series was hard fought by both teams from the first pitch,” said Head Coach Mike Kunigonis. “Our pitchers did a great job all weekend to give us a chance to win. Olson and Sims were both fantastic today and Ryan deserved better than what he got. Donovin was great and dominated the game from the very beginning.”

At the plate, Stephen Letz (Dyer, Ind./South Suburban College) finished 4-for-7 on the day  with one run while Luke Yapp (Verona, Wis./Madison College) hit a three-run double in game two.

The Huskies will hit the road for midweek play as it takes on Minnesota Wednesday afternoon in Minneapolis before returning home for a series with Central Michigan. First pitch against the Golden Gophers is set for 3 p.m., Central.

GAME ONE
With winds blowing in from left center field the entire day at Ralph McKinzie Field, Olson and Miami’s starting pitcher Cole Gnetz settled in on the rubber as both teams were scoreless through three.

With a runner on second after failed sacrifice bunt and a stolen base, RedHawks left fielder Dallas Hall singled down the right field line to give MU a 1-0 lead.

NIU was unable to solve Gnetz's curveball on the mound as it only tallied three hits and drew one walk. Gnetz, who also went the distance, fanned eight in the contest.

The RedHawks insurance run came in the top of the ninth as the winds shifted out of the park briefly in the top of the ninth, allowing catcher Hayden Senger to homer over the left field fence. The RedHawks totaled eight hits in the contest, defeating the Huskies, 2-0.

Olson hurled 115 pitches, tallying 80 strikes in the contest, as he struck out six to match his career-high for the third time this season. The Sterling, Ill., native allowed only one walk in the game.

GAME TWO
Sims set the tone early for the Huskies, fanning his second batter and catching the third one looking to retire the side in order.

In the bottom of the first, Brad Wood (Orland Park, Ill./St. Laurence) earned a walk with one out and scurried to third on a single by Johnny Zubek (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest).

Wood darted for home plate after Brian Sisler (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb) lined out to shallow right field, beating the catch at the plate as Senger stopped the ball but did collect it in time to put NIU on top, 1-0.

The defense put in overtime behind Sims as it turned three double plays in the game, including a 9-2 double play at the plate as Letz caught a shallow fly ball by Tyler Harris and gunned down Steve Sada at the plate in the top of the sixth.

The play sparked a sea change of momentum for the Huskies, who recorded five runs in the bottom half of the inning.

Loading the bases with no outs, Yapp stepped to the plate unphased by Miami’s pitching change, doubling down the left field line to clear the bases and put the Huskies in front, 4-0. After another pitching change by the RedHawks, an ensuing triple by Justin Fletcher (Pekin, Ill./Illinois Central College) allowed Wood to sacrifice himself and put the Huskies in front, 6-0.

Sims entered the top of the ninth with 88 pitches thrown, looking for his first complete game and first career shutout. With two men down and a runner on second, Adam Yacek singled to right field to break the shutout, 6-1, allowing Sims to surge back and record his sixth strikeout for the final out.