MANHATTAN, Kan. – The Northern Illinois University baseball team led 6-0 against the Kansas State Wildcats at Tointon Family Stadium on Tuesday afternoon, only to see the Wildcats score nine unanswered runs to win the game 9-6.
"It was a disappointing finish to today's game," said head coach
Mike Kunigonis. "We took an early lead and were in the driver's seat. Unfortunately, we didn't finish the way I know we can."
NIU (3-12) took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. The Huskies loaded the bases with one out on singles by
Brendan Joyce (South Elgin, Ill./Parkland College) and
Jake Dunham (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North), and a
Tommy Szczasny (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln-Way North) walk. After Kansas State starting pitcher K Ford struck out
Dylan Lonteen (Peoria, Ill./Illinois Central College),
Kam Smith (Colonial Beach, Va./The Steward School) delivered a two-run single to right field.
The Huskies added four runs in the second.
Nick Drobushevich (Moline, Ill./Moline) drove in
Jordan Larson (Dodgeville, Wis./College of DuPage) to make the score 3-0. Drobushevich then stole second base, giving NIU runners at second at third with one out. Joyce cracked a sacrifice fly to centerfield to drive in
Josh Mutter (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way North) for NIU's fourth run. Szczasny and Dunham then hit back-to-back RBI singles to make the score 6-0 and drove Ford out of the ballgame.
Kansas State (7-8) got on the board in the bottom of the second. Zach Kokoska laced a triple to right center to bring in Thomas Hughes and make the score 6-1. Jordan Maxson then hit a sacrifice fly to Mutter in centerfield, scoring Kokoska to put the Wildcats within four, 6-2. The Wildcats got within one in the third, as a Will Brennan RBI double and a two-run single by Cameron Thompson made the score 6-5.
NIU had a chance to extend their lead in the top of the fourth. With runners at first and second and two out, Brett Lockwood got Lonteen to ground out to end the threat.
Parker Kirkpatrick (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence) did his part to keep the Wildcats behind, entering the game in the fourth and held Kansas State scoreless in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. The Wildcats tied the game at six in the bottom of the seventh on a Caleb Littlejim solo home run. Kansas State took the lead in the bottom of the eighth. Chris Ceballos and Dylan Phillips traded RBI doubles to give the Wildcats an 8-6 lead. Brennan added a run-scoring single to make the score 9-6. Kansas State closer Mitch Zubradt made that score hold up, retiring the Huskies in order in the ninth for the save.
Dunham and Larson each had two hits in the game for NIU. Freshman pitcher
Nick Bonk (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Stevenson) got his first career start Tuesday, allowing five runs on six hits. Kirkpatrick allowed one run in 3.2 innings pitch.
Kyle Seebach (Rochelle, Ill./Rochelle Twp.) took the loss, allowing the go-ahead run in the eighth.
"We saw some very good things from a bunch of guys and there is a ton to build on from today's game," Kunigonis said. "We're a good team and need to continue to get better every day. We'll bounce back and be ready to get back at it tomorrow."
The two teams wrap up their midweek series on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
--NIU--
