BOWLING GREEN, KY. – Three combined RBI and three hits from Jake Dunham (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) and a sensational starting pitching performance from Nate Thomas (South Bend, Ind./Mishawaka Marian) in the nightcap wasn't enough for the Northern Illinois University baseball team Friday as the Huskies dropped a doubleheader to host Western Kentucky by scores of 9-5 and 1-0.

Dunham went 3-for-8 over the twin bill while Tommy Washington (Chicago, Ill./Harlan), Scooter Bynum (Fairbanks, Alaska /Arizona Western College) and Brad Wood (Orland Park, Ill./St. Laurence) each added two hits, but the Hilltoppers combined for 17 hits, including 14 in the opener, as they improved their overall record to 4-2 on the year. NIU falls to 2-3 after the sweep.

"Disappointing day," Huskies' head coach Mike Kunigonis said. "The simple truth is we didn't execute all day. We had chances in both games but couldn't get the big hit when we needed it."

Thomas, meanwhile, tossed a near gem in the nightcap as he worked seven solid innings and gave up only two hits while walking two and striking out one.  Donovin Sims (Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah Community) came on in relief of Thomas and gave up the lone run of the game – a two-out solo home run to left field – in the eighth inning as he suffered his first loss of the season.

"Nate was lights out and picked up his teammates the entire game," Kunigonis said. "He deserved much more than he received."

In Game 1 the Huskies snagged a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Tommy Szczasny (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln-Way North) walked, advanced to second on a Wood walk, third on a balk and came around on Dunham's single to center field. WKU responded immediately in the bottom half of the frame, however, with an RBI triple, and the hosts moved ahead 6-1 with a run in the third and four in the fifth inning.

NIU countered with three runs in the seventh when Wood laced a run-scoring single to left field, plating Joe Jumonville (Munster, Ind./Munster), and Dunham ripped a two-RBI single to left, bringing both Wood and Washington (single) around to score.

The rally didn't last, though, as the Hilltoppers plated three runs of their own in the bottom half of the frame thanks to a two-run double and an RBI sacrifice fly. Senior LHP George Faue (Corcoan, Minn./Iowa Central) took the loss as he went five innings and struck out three batters to move his record to 0-2 on the year.

"We need to regroup and get back at it tomorrow," Kunigonis said. "We'll bounce back from this."

NIU resumes the four-game series tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. weather permitting. Sunday's start time is yet to be determined.

--NIU--