TOLEDO, Ohio – The Northern Illinois University baseball team dropped the opening game of its weekend series against the Toledo Rockets 5-4 on Friday afternoon at Scott Park.
 
"We didn't take care of our own business today and Toledo made us pay for it," said head coach Mike Kunigonis. "They're a good team and battled the entire game and got us in the end. We need to be better overall and be ready to get back in the series tomorrow in game two."
 
NIU (15-32, 11-11 MAC) led 4-2 going into the bottom of the eighth. The Rockets' comeback started with a leadoff double by Trace Hatfield off Huskies reliever Kyle Seebach (Rochelle, Ill./Rochelle Twp.). Chris Meyers then rocked a two-run home run to tie the game at four. Seebach got a fly out for the first out, but allowed a double to Zach Schwartzenberger and hit Mark Mohnickey with a pitch. Andrew Compton then stepped up to the plate and laced a single to right center, scoring Schwartzenberger to put Toledo ahead 5-4. Seebach retired the final two batters of the inning to keep the deficit at one run. The Rockets' closer Austin Calopietro allowed one Huskie to reach base in the ninth as Toledo took the opening game of the series.
 
Toledo (16-31, 4-16 MAC) scored two runs in the bottom of the first off starting pitcher Michael Lasiewicz (McHenry, Ill./McHenry). Darryn Davis led off by reaching on an error. Brad Boss followed with a double to right field, moving Davis to third base. Hatfield brought in the first run with an RBI groundout to Dylan Lonteen (Peoria, Ill./Illinois Central College), which also got Boss to third with one out. Meyers made the score 2-0 with a sacrifice fly to right field.
 
NIU got on the board in the top of the fifth. With two outs, Josh Mutter (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way North) drew a walk. Paddy McKermitt (Hampshire, Ill./Burlington Central) then put down a bunt up the third-base line. Meyers threw the ball away, allowing Mutter to score from first to make the score 2-1 and McKermitt to get to second base. Toledo starter Doug Smith, who had allowed one hit and one walk heading into the fifth, got Tommy Szczasny (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln-Way North) to ground out to end the threat.
 
The Huskies tied the game at two in the top of the sixth. Brendan Joyce (South Elgin, Ill./Parkland College) led off with a bunt single, followed by a Lonteen double and a walk to Jake Dunham (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) to load the bases. Nick Drobushevich (Moline, Ill./Moline) drove in the tying run on a sacrifice fly to left. Smith got Kam Smith (Colonial Beach, Va./The Steward School) to fly out for the second out, but walked Jordan Larson (Dodgeville, Wis./College of DuPage) to load the bases. NIU was unable to capitalize with the sacks packed as Mutter fouled out to end the inning.
 
After allowing two runs in the first, Lasiewicz threw five shutout innings. The sophomore had four strikeouts and stranded five runners on base. NIU's offense rewarded Lasiewicz by taking the lead in the top of the seventh. Szczasny hit a double to right field with one out, then scored on an RBI double by Joyce that put the Huskies ahead 3-2. Lonteen followed with a walk from Toledo reliever Bryce Davis, with Joyce and Lonteen moving up to third and second respectively on a passed ball. After a fielder's choice left NIU with runners at the corners and two out, the Huskies pulled off a double steal. Lonteen came home to make the score 4-2.
 
Lasiewicz allowed two unearned runs in six innings, striking out five with three hits and two walks but took a no decision. Joyce was 2-for-5 in the game with an RBI and a run scored. Lonteen was 1-for-3 with two walks, an RBI, and a run scored.
 
Game two of this weekend's series is Saturday at 12 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
 
--NIU--