DEKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University baseball team hopes to right the ship when it hosts Mid-American Conference opponent the University of Miami (OH) Redhawks for a three-game series at Ralph McKinzie Field this weekend.

After winning three of its last four home games, the Huskies are coming off a rough patch on the road where they went 0-4 after a 2-0 loss to the University of Iowa at Duane Banks Field Tuesday.

NIU was held to one hit, but managed to nearly go toe-to-toe with one of the Big Ten Conference's premier programs.

"We faced a very good team that's very good on the mound," Huskies' head coach Mike Kunigonis said. "Unfortunately our offense couldn't get anything going. Our pitchers did a great job and gave us an opportunity to win, but it was just a hard luck loss."

Junior RHP William Anderson (Columbus, Ind./Columbus East) handcuffed Iowa hitters for three relief innings as he fanned five batters and didn't give up a walk. For his effort, Anderson will earn a start – his third overall – in the series' finale Sunday. In his last start, Anderson tossed six solid innings and scattered six hits in a 6-1 win over Trinity Christian College April 11.

"He threw the way we know can throw," Kunigonis said. "His last three outings have been very good and we're excited to get him back to form, and perform at the level we know he can perform at."  

NIU is 3-3 in the last six meetings with the Redhawks. Miami (OH) took two of three from the Huskies in 2016, while NIU returned the favor last season.

"This league is a grind and it doesn't matter who you're playing," Kunigonis said. "Miami's a tough opponent and it's going to be a fight to the very end. We're hoping to have some great games and a great weekend, but it's going to be a battle to get back into the MAC standings."

--NIU--