FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: March 29, 2019
 
Huskies Drop Doubleheader at Central Michigan
NIU Falls by 6-4, 5-2 Scores
 
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Northern Illinois University baseball team dropped a Mid-American Conference doubleheader to the Central Michigan Chippewas Friday at Keilitz Field at Theunissen Stadium, falling in the first game, 6-4, and in the nightcap, 5-2.
 
NIU dropped its first two MAC games of the season to fall to 3-2 in the league and to 7-19 overall while CMU improved to 18-7, 4-1 in the conference.
 
"Tough day today for the Huskies," said NIU head coach Mike Kunigonis. "Two hard-fought games that we came up one play or one hit short. Our guys battled and played hard the entire day. Both games could have easily have gone in our favor but that's not how it worked out today."
 
Central Michigan took a 4-1 lead after four innings in game one. The Huskies got back within two in the top of the sixth. Jake Dunham (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) was hit by a Grant Frazer pitch to lead off the frame, followed by Jordan Larson (Dodgeville, Wis./College of DuPage) reaching on a Jason Sullivan error at second base. Kam Smith (Colonial Beach, Va./The Steward School) then got on base on a fielder's choice as Frazer put Larson out at second. Dylan Lonteen (Peoria, Ill./Illinois Central College) drove in Dunham on a groundout to third base to make the score 4-2.
 
NIU tied the game in the seventh. Nick Drobushevich (Moline, Ill./Moline) hit a one-out single to left field and stole second base. Brendan Joyce (South Elgin, Ill./Parkland College) then smacked a double to score Drobushevich and put the Huskies within a run at 4-3.  Szczasny followed with a single to give NIU runners at the corners with one out. Dunham then grounded out to second base, allowing Joyce to score and tie the game at four.
 
Central Michigan manufactured a run to take its lead back in the bottom of the seventh. Kratt led off with single, then was pinch-run for by Ty Rollin. Kyle Seebach (Rochelle, Ill./Rochelle Twp.) then came in for starter Michael Lasieiwcz (McHenry, Ill./McHenry) and retired Zach Heeke, who moved Rollin to second base on a sacrifice bunt. Zavier Warren followed with a single to give the Chippewas runners at the corners with one out. Gilles put down a squeeze bunt and the Huskies got the out at first, allowing . Rollin to score, giving CMU a 5-4 lead.
 
The Chippewas tacked on an insurance run in the eighth for closer Cameron Miller, who retired the last seven Huskies he faced in order to give Central Michigan the 6-4 win.
 
Drobushevich had three hits for the second time this season, going 3-for-5 with a stolen base. Lasiewicz allowed five runs on 11 hits, striking out five Chippewas with only one walk. He took the loss to fall to 4-3 on the year.
 
In the second game, CMU took a 2-0 lead in their half of the third inning. After retiring the first two batters, NIU starter Erik Hedmark (Algonquin, Ill./Dundee-Crown HS) walked the next two and a double steal put runners on second and third.  CMU's Griffin Lockwood-Powell singled to drive in both runners and put the Chippewas up 2-0.
 
The Huskies tied the game in the next half inning. With two outs and Szczasny on first after a walk,
Larson and Smith came up with back-to-back singles, scoring Szczasny. When Dylan Lonteen (Peoria, Ill./Richwoods HS) reached on an error, Larson scored.
 
CMU came back with two runs off Hedmark in their half of the fourth to take the lead for good as Sullivan and Chase Rollin both singled to put runners on first and third.  A bunt single by David Cole scored Sullivan, and after Rollin stole third, an errant throw by Dunham on a pickoff attempt allowed Rollin to score.
 
Hedmark (1-3) took the loss after giving up four runs in five innings of work.  Ryan Anderson (Palatine, Ill./Palatine HS) worked a scoreless sixth before giving up a run in the seventh on an RBI single by Lockwood-Powell as CMU extended the lead to 5-2. Parker Kirkpatrick (Lawrence, Kansas/Lawrence HS) worked a perfect eighth as NIU pitchers gave up just six hits in the game. Three of the five CMU runners who eventually scored reach base via a walk.  
 
CMU starter Cameron Brown (5-0) gave up just two hits in seven innings of work before giving way to Jordan Patty, who got his second save.
 
NIU brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning.  With one out, Dunham singled. After Larson lined out to centerfield, Smith doubled to left center, putting runners on second and third with two outs. Lonteen hit a shot toward centerfield, but the CMU second baseman laid out to make a diving stop and throw Lonteen out at first, ending the threat and the game.
 
Smith collected two of the Huskies' four hits in the game and accounted for the lone RBI in game two.  
 
"We need to regroup and look to bounce back tomorrow to get game three," Kunigonis said.
 
The final game of the series is scheduled for Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. (CT) in Mount Pleasant.    
 
-- NIU –