YPSILANTI, MI – The Northern Illinois University baseball team used a three-run 11th inning to pull out a 6-3 win over host Eastern Michigan University in the season finale Saturday at Oestrike Stadium.

Although the Huskies saw their early 2-0 lead diminish and ultimately turn into a 3-2 deficit midway through the game, they responded in a big way with a game-tying run in the sixth and three in extras to earn their 20th win of the season. They end the year with a 20-36 overall record, and a 9-18 mark in the Mid-American Conference.

"Nothing better than to send our seniors out with an extra inning win," Huskies' head coach Mike Kunigonis said. "Thanks to all of them for a great career."
Hunter Bross (Scottsdale, Ariz./Mesa Community College) pushed across the go-ahead run in the 11th when he laced a single to left-center field, allowing Alex Rodriguez (Cudahy, Wis./Cudahy) – who pinch ran for Kam Smith (Colonial Beach, Va./The Steward School) – to score.

"Hunter came up with a huge hit when we needed it the most," Kunigonis said. "We had a lot of good offensive performances today."

A wild pitch to Samuel Vega (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico/Southwestern Junior College) allowed Bross to score, and Vega's RBI single up the middle plated Scooter Bynum (Fairbanks, Alaska /Arizona Western College) who reached on a single to left-center field.

"This was another character win for this group," Kunigonis said. "It could have been very easy to fold up the tents and give in but we kept battling and found a way."

NIU seized a 2-0 lead in the first inning when four-straight hits to start the game from Vega, Brad Wood (Orland Park, Ill./St. Laurence), Tommy Szczasny (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln-Way North) and Jake Dunham (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) put the Huskies in command. Dunham's single to the shortstop plated Szczasny, and Smith's RBI groundout brought home Wood.

Eastern Michigan responded with a run in the bottom of the first, then took a 3-2 advantage in the fifth on a two-run double. It wasn't until an RBI single from Ty Jandrowski (Kenosha, Wis./Madison College), which plated Smith, that the Huskies were able to knot the score at 3-3.

Starting RHP William Anderson (Columbus, Ind./Columbus East) tossed 4 1/3 solid innings. He struck out five batters and scattered six hits before giving way to Nate Thomas (South Bend, Ind./Mishawaka Marian), who had one of his strongest outings of the year as he worked five innings and fanned a season-high six batters. Senior Andrew Frankenreider (Peoria, Ill./Dunlap) came on in the 10th and nailed down his second win of the season as he yielded only one hit and struck out two batters.

"Will gave us a great start and Nate shut things down from there," Kunigonis said. "Frank came in and got us out of a jam and ended his Huskie career with a win, which was awesome."

Vega, Wood and Bynum led the offense with two hits each, while Szczasny, Jandrowski, Bross, Dunham, Smith and Joe Jumonville (Munster, Ind./Munster) each had a hit.

"We can build on a win like this, and will do so going into the offseason," Kunigonis said.
 

--NIU--