CARBONDALE, IL - The Northern Illinois University baseball team was held to one run on six hits in a 2-1 loss to the Southern Illinois Salukis at Itchy Jones Stadium in this weekend's series opener Friday afternoon.
 
"It was a tough loss today," said head coach Mike Kunigonis. "Both teams had multiple opportunities to score but unfortunately we didn't come up with the big hit and SIU did. We'll bounce back tomorrow and get back in the series."
 
The Huskies had two runners on base in a 1-1 tie in the top of the 10^th after a pair of two-out walks from Jake Dunham (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) and Jordan Larson (Dodgeville, Wis./College of DuPage). SIU reliever Trey McDaniel ended the NIU threat by getting Tommy Szczasny (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln-Way North) to ground out. After a strikeout to lead off the bottom of the 10^th, Lucas Danielewicz drew a walk followed by a single from Austin Ulick. Nate Thomas (South Bend, Ind./Mishawaka Marian) then intentionally walked Nick McAlister to load the bases. Ian Walters then hit a groundball to Szczasny at second base, who flipped the ball to Dylan Lonteen (Peoria, Ill./Illinois Central College) for an out but Walters beat the relay throw to first base that would have completed the double play, allowing the winning run to score.
 
NIU (7-6) got on the board in the top of the third inning. Sophomore designated hitter Nick Drobushevich (Moline, Ill./Moline) crushed his first home run of the season over the right field fence with two outs to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead. Starting pitcher Michael Lasiewicz (McHenry, Ill./McHenry) did his part to keep SIU off the scoreboard with five strikeouts over the first four innings.
 
SIU (8-6) tied the game in the bottom of the fifth. With the bases loaded and one out, Philip Archer hit a sacrifice fly to score Brad Hudson and make the score 1-1. The Salukis threatened to take the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Danielewicz and Ulick drew back-to-back walks off of NIU reliever Kyle Seebach (Rochelle, Ill./Rochelle Twp.) to lead off the inning. Thomas then came in from the bullpen, allowing a sacrifice bunt from McAlister that moved the runners to second and third with one out. Thomas stranded both runners as he struck out Walters and Hudson to keep the game tied.
 
The Huskies had a chance to break the tie in the top of the eighth. Dunham and Larson drew consecutive walks with one out. SIU brought in relief pitcher Kyle Dixon who struck out Szczasny and got Kam Smith (Colonial Beach, Va./The Steward School) to fly out to end the frame and keep the game 1-1.
 
Lasiewicz allowed just one run on six hits in five innings to take a no-decision, striking out six Salukis. Thomas recorded a career-high eight strikeouts in 4.2 innings of relief, allowing just one run on three hits with three walks. McDaniel earned the win, allowing no runs and no hits in 2.2 innings with two walks and four strikeouts.

"Nate did a great a job to come in and give us an opportunity to win," Kunigonis said. "He pitched better than the loss next to his record would indicate."
 
The two teams resume their series on Saturday at 2 p.m.
 
--NIU--