MARION, IL – The Northern Illinois University baseball team left 11 runners on base Saturday afternoon in a 9-5 loss to the Omaha Mavericks at Rent One Park.
 
"Today was just one of those days where we didn't execute," said head coach Mike Kunigonis. "We allowed five runs where the batter reached base on a walk. That's the difference in the game is just us pounding the strikezone, throwing strikes, and being able to execute. We'll bounce back tomorrow and have a chance to win a weekend."
 
Omaha (6-4) scored two runs in both the second and fifth innings off of NIU starting pitcher Brandon McPherson (Chicago, Ill./Wabash Valley College), who had five strikeouts and four walks in five innings. The Mavericks pulled away in the bottom of the sixth. With the bases loaded and no outs, Harrison Denk hit a double to centerfield to score two runs and make the score 6-0. After a groundout Parker Smejkal hit a sacrifice fly to right field to bring in another run and give Omaha a 7-0 lead.
 
NIU (6-5) got on the board with a two-out, two-run single from Brady Huebbe (Peru, Ill./Illinois Valley C.C.) in the top of the seventh. Omaha tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the eighth to take a 9-2 lead. The Huskies attempted a rally in the top of the ninth. Brendan Joyce (South Elgin, Ill./Parkland College) led off with a walk followed by a single from Matt Barnes (Bloomington, Ill./Heartland C.C.). Huebbe then laced a double down the left field line to bring in Joyce and make the score 9-3.
 
Jake Dunham (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) loaded the bases when he was hit by a pitch. Jordan Larson (Dodgeville, Wis./College of DuPage) brought in NIU's second run of the inning when he hit into a fielder's choice that retired Dunham but allowed Barnes to score and get the Huskies within five, 9-4. Kam Smith (Colonial Beach, Va./The Steward School) reached on an error that scored Huebbe to make the score 9-5. That was close as NIU would get as Keil Krumwiede got Dylan Lonteen (Peoria, Ill./Illinois Central College) to hit into a game-ending double play.
 
Huebbe was 3-for-4 on the day with three RBI and a run scored. Through three games this weekend, the redshirt-junior outfielder is 8-for-12 with five RBI.
 
NIU closes out the weekend against Chicago State on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at Rent One Park.
 
--NIU--