DEKALB, IL – Looking to improve upon its 1-2 home record, the Northern Illinois University baseball team hosts Mid-American Conference opponent Western Michigan University for a three-game series.

Originally scheduled as a three-day series, weather has moved the games to a doubleheader Saturday and a single game Sunday afternoon.  

The WMU matchup will kick-off a stretch of five home games for the Huskies, and excellence of execution will be the main focus over the three-game span.

"That's the magic word (execution)," Huskies' head coach Mike Kunigonis said. "We need to execute on the mound, we need to execute defensively and offensively. If we take care of our business I think we're going to be fine, but that's the mindset we have every time we take the field. The margin for error in this league, and at the Division I level is so small."

Although NIU has collectively hit only .204 as a team at home, the power of its lineup starts at the top with leadoff hitter Brad Wood (Orland Park, Ill./St. Laurence) and middle hitter Samuel Vega (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico/Southwestern Junior College). In three home games, Wood has driven in a run, has two runs scored and is carrying a .500 batting average with a .583 slugging percentage. Vega meanwhile has connected for a double and has a run scored with a .273 batting average.

"It's going to be a grind," Kunigonis said. "We're expecting a dogfight this entire weekend and it's going to be a grind with the weather but we're going to keep battling, and play tough."  

Junior RHP Tanner Foster (St. Charles, Iowa/Southeastern Community College) will start the opener with freshman RHP Michael Lasiewicz (McHenry, Ill./McHenry) taking the mound in the second game. Sunday's starter will be determined at a later time. Foster owns a 0.00 earned run average at home and is carrying a .158 opponents' batting average with a team-best seven strikeouts, while Lasiewicz also has a perfect ERA with six strikeouts and only one base hit.

--NIU--