May 17, 2016
Final Stats
NIU 7, UWM 3 
MILWAUKEE, Wis. - Trailing 3-2 in the fifth, senior Stephen Letz (Dyer, Ind./South Suburban College) hit a two-run homer to lead a five-run charge at Milwaukee (29-23) as NIU (22-29) defeated the Panthers, 7-3. Senior Brian Sisler (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb) registered his 200th career hit in the game, taking sole possession of No. 10 in NIU's all-time records.
Letz finished with three RBI and three hits while Justin Fletcher (Pekin, Ill./Illinois Central College) registered three hits and two RBI. Sophomore reliever Matthew Hoffmann (East Dubuque, Ill./Wahlert Catholic) tossed 3.2 scoreless innings to pick his first career win, scattering four hits and fanning a career-high three batters.
"We did a good job of battling today and getting the win. Hoff was outstanding for us out of the pen today. He settled us down and gave us three-plus scoreless innings and our offense did a great job, stepping up when we needed them," said Head Coach Mike Kunigonis. "Congrats to Brian Sisler on his 200th career hit. I'm super excited for him. He will go down as one of the all-time great Huskies in this program's history."
The Huskies scored two runs in the top of the first as Letz knocked in the first run of the game on a single through the left side, followed by Fletcher's first RBI single to left field.
Leading 2-0 in the second, Milwaukee cut its deficit in half on a sacrifice fly and tripled the lead in the third as Daulton Varsho hit his seventh homer of the season and Chris Kelly drew a bases-loaded walk to give the Panthers a 3-2 lead.
With Hoffman entering in the third and stifling the Panthers in the fourth, Sisler jumpstarted the NIU offense in the fifth, earning a free base with two outs as he was hit by a pitch to bring the go-ahead run to the plate. Letz catapulted the Huskies past the Panthers, driving a homer over the left field wall at Henry Aaron Field to put the Huskies back on top, 4-3. Letz’s homer was his eighth of the season.
NIU tacked on two more runs in the sixth with runners on first and second as Brad Wood (Orland Park, Ill./St. Laurence) laid down a bunt single to increase the Huskies lead, 6-3.
Sisler's 200th career hit led off the ninth inning as the senior scored the final run after a single by Letz, a fly out by Brandon Mallder (Bridgeview, Ill./St. Laurence) and Fletcher's final RBI single.
The Huskies will close the regular season this week, hosting Ball State at Ralph Mckenzie Field. The three-game series will begin Thursday, May 19 at 3 p.m. Central.
