DEKALB, IL – Led by a dominant performance from freshman RHP Michael Lasiewicz (McHenry, Ill./McHenry), the Northern Illinois University baseball team picked up its second-straight win in a 2-1 triumph over the visiting University of Miami (OH) Saturday.

Lasiewicz dazzled the numerous NIU alumni in attendance for Alumni Day, and handcuffed RedHawk hitters as he fanned a career-high 11 batters and retired 12 of the first 13 he faced. In addition, Lasiewicz picked up his first complete game and the first complete game by a Huskie pitcher since 2016 season.

"Las was lights out today," Huskies' head coach Mike Kunigonis said. "He dominated all day."

Lasiewicz didn't give up his first hit until the fifth inning when he yielded a leadoff double. From there he retired five of the next six batters before giving up the lone Miami run in the sixth inning on an RBI double, which tied the game at 1-1.

NIU took the lead in the fourth inning when Kam Smith (Colonial Beach, Va./The Steward School) drove in Samuel Vega (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico/Southwestern Junior College) on an RBI sacrifice fly to center field, and the Huskies recaptured the advantage for good in the sixth when Tommy Szczansy (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln-Way North) drove in Vega on an RBI single down the left field line.

With the victory, NIU improved to 13-24 overall and 5-9 in the Mid-American Conference as they earned their fourth-straight victory at home, their fourth-straight over Miami – dating back to last season – and their first conference series' win of the season.

"This was a huge series' win for us," Kunigonis said. "Tommy came up big when we needed it the most."

Equally as impressive was RedHawks' starter Zach Spears who also went the distance and gave up only two hits, but NIU made them count in the ultimate decision. Vega garnered the only other hit for the Huskies as he finished with two runs scored.

"We need to be ready to go tomorrow for the final game," Kunigonis said.

NIU closes out the series with a single game at 12 noon. Junior William Anderson (Columbus, Ind./Columbus East) will take the mound and will be opposed by RedHawks right-hander Gus Graham.

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