OXFORD, OH — The Northern Illinois University baseball team scored five unanswered runs in the final four innings Sunday to defeat the Miami RedHawks 10-7 at McKie Field at Hayden Park and take the final game of the four-game weekend series.
 
NIU (5-14, 4-4 MAC) trailed 7-5 heading into the sixth inning. Designated Hitter Morgan Holmes (Minneapolis, Minn./Des Moines Area CC) hit his second double of the game with one out, then scored on a Wade Rankin (Columbus, Ind./Kankakee CC) double down the left field line that made the score 7-6. Rankin advanced to third on a passed ball. Jordan Larson (Dodgeville, Wis./College of DuPage) then drew a walk to give NIU runners at the corners. Paddy McKermitt (Hampshire, Ill./Burlington Central) drove in Rankin with a bunt single to tie the game 7-7.
 
Holmes started the scoring threat in the top of the eighth with a lead-off ground-rule double. Jack Blazevich (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South) then reached on an error by Miami reliever Logan Schmitt, which allowed Holmes to score the go-ahead run to give NIU an 8-7 lead. Larson made the score 9-7 with an RBI single to right field. Kyle Seebach (Rochelle, Ill./Rochelle Twp.) entered the game from the Huskies' bullpen in the bottom of the eighth and promptly struck out the side. NIU added an insurance run in the ninth on a Jake Dunham (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) RBI single. The RedHawks got the tying run to second base in the bottom of the ninth but Seebach's fourth strikeout of the game secured the win for the Huskies.
 
"Today was a great bounce back win after three extremely tough losses," said head coach Mike Kunigonis. "This team has toughness and showed its resilience today. They never quit and never say die. We need to have a good week of practice this week and be ready for our home opener next weekend."
 
The Huskies got on the board in the top of the second. Holmes hit a double down the left field line with one out. He reached third on a Tyler Bosma wild pitch, then scored on another wild pitch to put the Huskies ahead 1-0. NIU built on its lead in the top of the third. An RBI groundout from Dylan Lonteen (Peoria, Ill./Illinois Central College) scored Nick Drobushevich (Moline, Ill./Moline) to make the score 2-0 with two outs. With Matt Barnes (Bloomington, Ill./Heartland CC) at third, Kam Smith (Colonial Beach, Va./The Steward School) launched his fifth home run of the season to put NIU ahead 4-0.
 
Ryan Anderson (Palatine, Ill./McHenry CC) kept the RedHawks scoreless through the first two innings, stranding three runners on base. Miami (13-9, 6-2 MAC) scored its first runs off Anderson in the bottom of the third on a Nate Stone two-run home run over the right field fence, cutting the Huskies' lead in half 4-2.
 
NIU stretched the lead back to three in the top of the fifth. With runners at first and second and one out, Lonteen reached on a fielder's choice as the RedHawks were unable to turn a double play. The relay throw allowed Drobushevich to score and give the Huskies a 5-2 lead. Miami took the lead with five runs in the bottom of the fifth, highlighted by a three-run double off the bat of shortstop Billy Kopicki, to go ahead 7-5.
 
Holmes was 3-for-5 at the plate with three doubles. Lonteen and Smith each drove in two runs. Nick Bonk (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Stevenson) earned the win after pitching a perfect seventh inning. Seebach struck out four over the final two innings to earn the save.
 
NIU opens its home slate next weekend with four games against the defending Mid-American Conference champions Central Michigan, starting Friday, April 4 at 2 p.m. Unfortunately, due to COVID restrictions, attendance at Ralph McKinzie Field at this time is limited to 165 fans. Entrance will be allowed on a first to come general admission process through the North gate on the first base side of the field. The North gate will open 30 minutes prior to first pitch each day. NIU Athletics reserves the right to reserve some attendee spots for parents of NIU Baseball student-athletes if necessary on gameday.
 
Masks must be worn while inside Ralph McKinzie Field and self-monitored general admission social distancing will be required. A limited concession menu will be available. Some areas near the dugouts or other team areas previously open to the public will be restricted as additional COVID precautions. The pet area will also be moved to down the third base side of the field.
 
All home baseball games will be shown on NIUTube on NIUHuskies.com, the Huskie all-access channel. Subscriptions are available for purchase on a daily ($6.95), monthly ($10.95) or annual basis and provides access to all home NIU Athletics events streamed on the website for the purchase period.
 
--NIU--