KENT, OH – The Northern Illinois University baseball team travels to Schoonover Stadium for a pivotal Mid-American Conference three-game series with the Kent State Golden Flashes Friday-Saturday.

Originally scheduled as a three-day series, but moved to a doubleheader Friday and a single game Saturday due to weather conditions, NIU hopes to ride its momentum of the last two games where the Huskies combined for 30 hits in victories over the University of Illinois-Chicago and NAIA opponent Trinity Christian College.

"Going into any MAC conference weekend momentum is huge, and for us to get a series' win against UIC for bragging rights over the next year, and then beat a really good Trinity team gives us that momentum," Huskies' head coach Mike Kunigonis said. "It's nice to get the offense going, and great to have our [pitching] staff feeling good for some good vibes going into this weekend."

In the two victories, red shirt sophomore Josh Mutter (Frankfort, Ill. /Lincoln-Way North) came up solid as he drove in five runs, including four in the victory over UIC. After being absent from the lineup since the Ohio University series April 1, Mutter more than made up for it as he went 2 for 3 with a pair of two-RBI singles. Mutter then drove in his fifth run of the week when he put the Huskies in front 2-0 – in their eventual 6-1 win over Trinity Christian – with an RBI groundout in the second inning.

Pitching-wise, the Huskies also handcuffed their opponents and held them to only four extra base hits. After William Anderson (Columbus, Ind./Columbus East) tossed six solid innings of one-run ball against TCC, a trio of pitchers – George Faue (Corcoan, Minn./Iowa Central), Nate Thomas (South Bend, Ind./Mishawaka Marian) and Andrew Frankenreider (Peoria, Ill./Dunlap) – each threw an inning of relief and didn't give up a hit while striking out a batter each.

NIU hopes to erase some of its recent history in Kent, Ohio as the Huskies have earned only one win in their last two trips.

--NIU--