Final Stats

Toledo 5, NIU 0 

DeKALB - The NIU baseball team (19-27, 12-8 MAC) dropped its game Saturday versus Toledo (12-34-1, 7-10 MAC) as the Rockets clinched the series, 5-0. Pitcher Ross Achter tossed 8.1 innings for Toledo, fanning three batters as the defense behind him only allowed three batters to reach scoring position.

“Toledo did a good job again today of playing sound fundamental baseball and we did not. That was the difference today,” said Head Coach Mike Kunigonis. “Tomorrow we need to come out and play to win and get back to Huskieball.”

Seniors Justin Fletcher (Pekin, Ill./Illinois Central College) and Johnny Zubek (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) each collected two hits while sophomore Brad Wood (Orland Park, Ill./St. Laurence) went 2-for-4 at the plate.

Starting pitcher Ryan Olson (Sterling, Ill./Newman Central Catholic) worked quickly and efficiently in the first third of the game as he only tossed 29 pitches heading into the fourth inning.

The senior battled in the fourth as he allowed the first three batters to reach base via single but only allowed one run as he worked the Rocket bats down in the count to break up sacrifice bunt situations.

Toledo scratched across three more runs in the sixth but Olson bounced back in the seventh as he retired the side in order. The Sterling, Ill., native allowed two earned runs in the effort and fanned four batters.

NIU registered three hits in the first three innings and showed life in the final four frames as it put runners on base in each inning, stranding six runners on base.

The Huskies nearly broke the shutout in the ninth as Stephen Letz (Dyer, Ind./South Suburban College) and Carl Russell (Grayslake, Ill./Grayslake North) both advanced in scoring position on a groundout, reaching via hit by pitch and walk, respectively. NIU forced a call to the bullpen but it wasn’t enough to break the shutout. Toledo outhit the Huskies, 12-7.

Northern Illinois University and Toledo will close the series tomorrow at 1 p.m., Central. Senior Day festivities will be held prior to first pitch, honoring all 11 of the Huskies seniors.