NORMAN, Okla. – The NIU baseball team earned their second win of the season as they defeated Villanova 6-4 Sunday morning.
 
"Great bounce back win for HuskieBall," Head Coach Mike Kunigonis said. "We kept working and kept grinding all game. We're starting to play out game and it showed."
 
The Huskies' offense recorded 11 hits on the day led by senior Jason Gasser and junior Jesus Tovar with three apiece. Gasser also had the big hit of the game, giving NIU the lead in the fifth inning with a two-RBI single through the left side. Tovar extended the lead with an RBI single in the sixth to extend the lead to 6-4.
 
Senior Ryne Blanton entered the game out of the bullpen in the sixth after NIU grabbed the lead and threw two scoreless innings, giving up two hits and striking out two. Redshirt junior Andrew Frankenreider came in for the eighth inning and got the final six outs of the game to earn his first save of the season.
 
Donovin Sims got the start on the mound for the Huskies and went five innings, giving up four runs on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts. The junior did earn the win for his first of the year in his second start of 2017.
 
All but one NIU batter got on base in the game, senior Tommy Hook scored three runs and juniors Roderick Bynum and Michael Roberson each had one RBI in the game with Bynum getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Roberson drawing a bases loaded walk in the fifth.
 
"We need a good week of practice to keep this momentum going into next weekend," Kunigons said.
 
The Huskies will return to action next weekend when they travel to Edwardsville next Friday for a four-game weekend against SIUE. Huskie fans can follow the team on Instagram @niu_baseball and on Twitter @NIU_Baseball.