OXFORD, OH – The Northern Illinois University baseball team rebounded from being shutout Friday to earn a 6-3 win over the Miami RedHawks at McKie Field Saturday afternoon.
 
"It was a great bounce back win today," said head coach Mike Kunigonis. "[Michael] Lasiewicz gave us the start we needed to give us a chance to win. Kyle Seebach was fantastic coming in and slamming the door."
 
NIU (13-29, 9-8 MAC) wasted no time getting on the board Saturday, giving starting pitcher Michael Lasiewicz (McHenry, Ill./McHenry) a 3-0 lead before he ever stepped foot on the mound. With runners on the corners and one out, Jake Dunham (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) smashed a double down the left field line to score Tommy Szczasny (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln-Way North) and Dylan Lonteen (Peoria, Ill./Illinois Central College) and give the Huskies a 2-0 lead. After a lineout, Kam Smith (Colonial Beach, Va./The Steward School) laced a single through the left side of the infield to bring in Dunham for NIU's third run.
 
"Anytime you can jump out and take an early lead, it's a great thing," Kunigonis said.
 
After Lasiewicz struck out two Miami batters in the bottom of the first, NIU took a 4-0 lead in the second. Szczasny led off the inning with a single, then got to third as Brendan Joyce (South Elgin, Ill./Parkland College) reached second base on a sacrifice bunt thanks to an error by RedHawks third baseman Jordan Stephens. Lonteen drove in Szczasny on a fielder's choice that saw Joyce put out at second. NIU had a chance to extend the lead with runners at first and second with one out, but Miami's starting pitcher Spencer Mraz retired the side to keep the score 4-0. Lasiewicz did his part to keep the RedHawks off the scoreboard, striking out two and getting two double plays over the next three innings to keep NIU ahead 4-0 heading into the sixth.
 
Miami (31-11, 12-5 MAC) made a rally in the bottom of the sixth. Its first two batters in the inning reached base, then scored on a Landon Stephens triple that made the score 4-2. After a flyout for the first out, Kyle Winkler hit a single to left field to bring in Stephens and get the RedHawks within a run at 4-3. That would be all the runs Miami would get in the frame. Dunham threw out Winkler attempting to steal second base and Lasiewicz struck out Cal Elvers to end the Miami threat.
 
Kyle Seebach (Rochelle, Ill./Rochelle Twp.) came in from the bullpen for NIU in the seventh and retired the Miami side, getting a strikeout and a double play. Miami threatened to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth. Landon Stephens and Jordan Stephens hit consecutive singles with two outs to give the RedHawks runners at the corners, but Seebach got Winkler to fly out to end the inning.
 
NIU added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the ninth. After a flyout and a groundout to start the inning, Szczasny drew a two-out walk. Joyce then hit a groundball to Vogelgesang at shortstop, who threw the ball wide of second base which allowed Szczasny to score and Joyce to get all the way to third base. Lonteen followed with an RBI single to give NIU a 6-3 lead. Seebach made the lead hold up, stranding two Miami runners on base in the bottom of the ninth to give the Huskies the win.
 
Lasiewicz allowed three runs on seven hits, striking out six with two walks. Seebach threw three scoreless innings for his first career save. Lonteen and Jordan Larson (Dodgeville, Wis./College of DuPage) each had a pair of hits in the game. Szczasny was 1-for-2 with two walks and three runs scored.
 
The rubber game of the series is set for Sunday at 12 p.m. CT.
 
--NIU--