PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday – NIU: William Anderson (0-1) vs. BC: Jacob Stevens (0-0)
Saturday – NIU: Joe Hawks (0-0) vs. OU: Kyle Tyler  (0-0)
Sunday – NIU: Donovin Sims (0-0) vs. Nova: Jonathan Rosero (0-0)
 
DEKALB – The NIU baseball team will make its way to Norman Oklahoma to compete in the 19 Ways Invitational this weekend. The Huskies will face 2016 Super Regional Qualifier Boston College on Friday, Oklahoma on Saturday and Villanova on Sunday.
 
NIU is coming off of their first win of the season as they defeated Chicago State 4-0 Wednesday afternoon in a make-up game from their series in Arizona. Freshman pitcher Nathan Thomas threw four shutout innings to earn his first collegiate win in his first collegiate start and Brad Wood came off the bench to add two RBIs.
 
Wood came out of the Huskies' first four games leading the team in batting average, with more than ten at-bats, hitting .462 in the four games. Senior Tommy Hook has the big blast of the season so far, with NIU's only home run after hitting his first career home run against Chicago State on Wednesday.
 
William Anderson will get the ball on Friday against Boston College after his first start last Friday in Arizona against South Dakota State. Anderson went only three innings in that start, giving up three runs on six hits and four walks. The Eagles will send Jacob Stevens to the bump who struck out nine in six innings during his first start against Bethune-Cookman.
 
Joe Hawks will face the host Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday after his quality start in the desert against Chicago State, going six innings, giving up one run on two hits with three strikeouts. OU will start Kyle Tyler against the Huskies and in his first start, Tyler gave up two earned runs in five and two thirds innings, striking out three against Long Beach State.
 
Donovin Sims will get his second start of the season on Sunday against Villanova. Sims threw four innings against Chicago State last Sunday, giving up five runs, three earned, on seven hits. The Wildcats will throw Jonathan Rosero who went four and a third innings against Norfolk State last weekend, giving up one earned run on four hits.
 
The Huskies and the Sooners are the only teams in this series with a win under their belt so far in 2017 as Boston College dropped all three of their opening series games against Bethune-Cookman last weekend and Villanova was swept by Norfolk State.
 
NIU will continue the season next weekend when they head to Edwardsville Illinois to take on SIUE in a four-game series over three days. Huskie fans can follow the team on Instagram @niu_baseball and on Twitter @NIU_Baseball.