CHICAGO – The Northern Illinois University baseball team fell behind early to the Chicago State Cougars at Cougar Stadium on Tuesday afternoon, but closed to within one run in the eighth inning in a 10-8 loss.
 
"It was a tough day today," said head coach Mike Kunigonis. "We had more than our fair share of opportunities but didn't take advantage of them.
 
NIU (4-16) fell behind 9-1 through five innings, and started to rally back in the top of the seventh. Josh Mutter (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way North) led off the inning being hit by a pitch, then stole second. Wyatt O'Brien (Monroe, Mich./Saint Mary Catholic Central) then reached on an error by right fielder Kilian Bloat, getting all the way to third as Mutter scored to make the score 9-2. Peters then drove in O'Brien with a single to left center, getting the Huskies within six at 9-3. The Huskies had two on with two out and a chance to cut the deficit to four, but Smith fouled out to end the inning.
 
Parker Kirkpatrick (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence) retired the Chicago State side in order in the bottom of the seventh to keep the deficit at six.  NIU had its first two batters reach base in the top of the eighth with Tommy Szczasny (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln-Way North) drawing a leadoff walk and Dylan Lonteen (Peoria, Ill./Illinois Central College) getting hit by a pitch. O'Brien then smacked a single to left field to load the bases. Jordan Larson (Dodgeville, Wis./College of DuPage) then reached on an error by Cougars second baseman Patrick Arndt, allowing Szczasny to score to make the score 9-4. Nick Droubushevich (Moline, Ill./Moline) followed with a two-run double to put NIU within three, 9-6.
 
Chicago State (6-10) then went to the bullpen to bring in Yunis Halim. Alex Rodriguez (Cudahy, Wis./Cudahy) reached on an error that allowed Larson to score to put NIU within two, 9-7. Jake Dunham (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) then hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield, scoring Drobushevich to get the Huskies within one run. Halim then got Kam Smith (Colonial Beach, Va./The Steward School) to ground out to end the inning. The Cougars added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth to take a 10-8 lead, and Halim worked around a leadoff single to lock up the win.
 
O'Brien had his first career multi-hit game Tuesday, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Dunham reach base in all four of his plate appearances, going 1-for-1 with three walks.
 
"The group battled back late and made a late push, but we couldn't overcome our early mistakes giving away free bases," Kunigonis said. "We gave away too many free bases and it cost us. We need to have two good days of practice and get ready for our opening conference series against Eastern Michigan."
 
NIU opens Mid-American Conference play this weekend with a three-game series against Eastern Michigan at Ralph McKinzie Field. The series starts on Friday, March 22 at 3 p.m.
 
--NIU--