DEKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University baseball team had its four-game home winning streak snapped Sunday with a 5-1 loss to the University of Miami (OH) in the finale of the three-game weekend series.

Despite its third-straight dominant pitching performance – this time from junior righty William Anderson (Columbus, Ind./Columbus East) – the Huskies couldn't complete a sweep of the RedHawks before another sizeable crowd of 375 fans at Ralph McKinzie Field. NIU fell to 13-25 overall, and 5-10 in the Mid-American Conference.

"Disappointing finish to an otherwise good weekend," Huskies' head coach Mike Kunigonis said. "Will was fantastic today and deserved much better than what he got."

Following suit to teammates Tanner Foster (St. Charles, Iowa/Southeastern Community College) and Michael Lasiewicz (McHenry, Ill./McHenry) in the first two games of the series, Anderson tossed a near gem on the mound as he went six strong innings, and gave up only two hits while striking out a career-high nine batters.

Anderson was in line for the win after NIU took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning, but Miami (OH) did all its damage against Huskie relievers in the eighth inning as it plated all five of its runs – via a run-scoring single and a two-RBI double along with a wild pitch and an RBI fielder's choice.

NIU sought the series' sweep when Tommy Szczasny (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln-Way North) scored on Scooter Bynum's (Fairbanks, Alaska /Arizona Western College) sacrifice bunt in the fourth inning, but the RedHawks connected for five of their eight hits in the eighth inning and produced all their offense before Bynum ended the inning with a home run-snatching catch over the left-center field fence.

"Winning this series gives us some much needed momentum going into another tough week of competition," Kunigonis said.

Both Brad Wood (Orland Park, Ill./St. Laurence) and Kam Smith (Colonial Beach, Va./The Steward School) each had two hits apiece – with Wood connecting for a leadoff double down the right field line in the ninth – while Samuel Vega (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico/Southwestern Junior College) added a hit.

"We will be ready to go Tuesday against a very good Indiana State team," Kunigonis said.

The Huskies host the Sycamores for a 3 p.m. single game April 24.     

--NIU--