DEKALB, IL – Despite a career performance from junior RHP Tanner Foster (St. Charles, Iowa/Southeastern Community College), the Northern Illinois University baseball team couldn't figure the visiting University of Toledo as the Rockets plated five runs late to earn a 6-3 comeback victory in 10 innings at Ralph McKinzie Field Friday afternoon.

Foster worked eight solid innings, and struck out a career-high and NIU team season-high 12 batters, but the Huskies' bullpen yielded two runs in the top of the ninth and three in the 10th to ultimately decide the final verdict as they fell to 16-30 overall, and 5-14 in the Mid-American Conference.

"Heartbreaker tonight," Huskies' head coach Mike Kunigonis said. "We had opportunities to extend our lead early but couldn't bust through. Tanner was fantastic. He competed for every pitch."

After Foster departed, red shirt senior Andrew Frankenreider (Peoria, Ill./Dunlap) came on in relief in the ninth to nail down what would've been his sixth save of the season, but a hit batsmen and a one-out two-run home run to left field tied the game at 2-2. The Rockets then finished it off with three in the 10th on a two-RBI single, and a bases-loaded walk.

The Huskies had an opportunity to win it in the bottom of the ninth when they loaded the bases with two outs after Tommy Szczasny (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln-Way North) walked, Jake Dunham (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) singled and Joe Jumonville (Munster, Ind./Munster) was hit by a pitch, but the next batter struck out swinging to end the threat.

NIU seemed to be on cruise control early on as it plated runs in the second and fourth innings via home runs from Scooter Bynum (Fairbanks, Alaska /Arizona Western College) and Jumonville, along with an RBI sacrifice fly from Ty Jandrowski (Kenosha, Wis./Madison College). Foster was also dominant as he retired 15 of 17 batters he faced at one point, but the Rockets' offense had just enough to get to the Huskies' bullpen to pull out their 15th win of the season.

Jandrowski led NIU's offense with two hits, while Szczasny, Dunham, Kam Smith (Colonial Beach, Va./The Steward School), Jumonville and Bynum each had a hit.

"We need to shake this one off and get back in the series tomorrow," Kunigonis said.

NIU resumes the three-game series with a single game at 1 p.m. Freshman RHP Michael Lasiewicz (McHenry, Ill./McHenry) will take the mound and will be opposed by Toledo's Sam Shutes. NIU will also celebrate City of Dekalb Day where Dekalb Mayor Jerry Smith will throw out the first pitch and the Huskie seniors will take part in a small graduation ceremony.

--NIU--