DEKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University baseball team seeks its seventh win in the last eight games at Ralph McKinzie Field when it hosts Valparaiso University Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m.

NIU hopes to snap its three-game losing streak overall as the Huskies were swept in a three-game Mid-American Conference weekend series at Ball State University April 27-29.

"We have a very difficult non-conference week against two rivalry teams," Huskies' head coach Mike Kunigonis said. "I'm looking forward to getting back on the field to start feeling good again before our MAC weekend with Toledo."

The Huskies hit a rough patch in Muncie over the three-game series as they hit only a collective .149 with one extra base hit. Red shirt junior Ty Jandrowski (Kenosha, Wis./Madison College) led the offense with a .333 batting average and a run scored, while senior Brad Wood (Orland Park, Ill./St. Laurence) connected for three hits and drove in two runs.

NIU pitchers meanwhile carried a 4.39 earned run average and struck out 23 batters, but unfortunately gave up nine extra base hits and 10 walks with a .306 opponents' batting average.

"The margin of error is so small in this game," Kunigonis said. "We were two plays away from winning the weekend, but unfortunately the ball didn't bounce our way."

At home the Huskies have been one of the hottest teams in their last seven games as they've hit a collective .332 with 20 extra base hits, including four home runs and 46 runs batted in. They've also stolen eight bases in 12 attempts and have recorded their best outputs for total runs and total hits in a game.

"It's great to see our guys have success at home," Kunigonis said. "We're looking forward to getting back to the friendly confines of the Ralph this week."

NIU will send senior LHP George Faue (Corcoan, Minn./Iowa Central) to the mound tomorrow for his eighth start this year while Valparaiso's starting pitcher is yet to be determined. In his last start against Indiana State April 24, Faue worked four innings and gave up two runs on five hits while striking out two batters and walking none.  

--NIU--