DEKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University baseball team resumes action this afternoon when it hosts NAIA opponent Robert Morris University at 3 p.m.

NIU is seeking its sixth win in the last seven games at Ralph McKinzie Field after the Huskies defeated Indiana State University 5-4 in walk-off fashion Tuesday afternoon.

Senior Samuel Vega (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico/Southwestern Junior College) finished a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate, and scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth on Kam Smith's (Colonial Beach, Va./The Steward School) RBI sacrifice fly to left-center field. With his performance, Vega became the first Huskie to finish with five hits in a game since the 2015 season as he upped his season batting average to a team-best .296.

"Vega was lights out going 5 for 5 and scoring the game-winning run," Huskies' head coach Mike Kunigonis said. "Kam was fantastic in his game-winning at-bat battling with two strikes to get the job done."

In their last six home games, the Huskies are hitting a collective .306 and are out-scoring their opponents' 29-18. Senior Brad Wood (Orland Park, Ill./St. Laurence) leads the team with a blistering .476 average with 10 hits, including four doubles and two RBI. Vega follows with a .462 average and a team-best 12 hits along with three RBI, while Smith carries a .444 average with four RBI.

NIU pitchers have also found immense comfort on the mound as they own a collective 2.50 earned run average and have given up only six walks while striking out 53 batters. Junior RHP William Anderson (Columbus, Ind./Columbus East) leads the staff with 14 strikeouts in 12 innings pitched and has walked none.  

Senior RHP Donovin Sims (Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah Community) will start against the Eagles this afternoon, and will be making his 10th appearance and third start this season. In his last start against Central Michigan University March 23, Sims worked 5 1/3 innings and fanned a season-high six batters. He last pitched 1 2/3 innings out of the bullpen April 14 at Kent State.  

Wednesday's matchup with RMU will be the second NAIA opponent the Huskies have faced in the last two weeks, and the second opponent from the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference. NIU defeated fellow CCAC foe Trinity Christian College 6-1 April 11.

--NIU--