CARBONDALE, IL – The Northern Illinois University baseball team had an early lead but could not hold off the Southern Illinois Salukis in an 8-4 loss at Itchy Jones Stadium on Sunday.
 
After falling behind 2-0 through two innings, NIU (5-21) answered back in the top of the third starting with back-to-back singles from Jack Blazevich (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South) and Brendan Joyce (South Elgin, Ill./Parkland College) that gave NIU runners at the corners. The two then pulled off a double steal with Joyce taking second and Blazevich stealing home to make the score 2-1. After a Nick Drobushevich (Moline, Ill./Moline) walk, Dylan Lonteen (Peoria, Ill./Illinois Central College) knocked a single to centerfield to drive in Joyce and tie the game 2-2. Jake Dunham (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) put the Huskies up 3-2 with a sacrifice fly to right, driving in Drobushevich.
 
SIU (24-6) took back the lead in the bottom of the third. Nick Neville and Tristan Peters drew back-to-back walks off of NIU starting pitcher Connor Langreder (West De Pere, Wis./West De Pere) with one out. Vinni Massaglia hit a double up the left field line to drive in Neville and tie the game at three. Philip Archer followed with a sacrifice fly to give the Salukis a 4-3 lead. SIU tacked on two more runs in the fifth and a single run in both the sixth and eighth innings to take an 8-3 lead. Salukis reliever Noah Farmer held the NIU bats at bay once he entered the game in the fourth, throwing five shutout innings while allowing three hits and two walks. The Huskies were able to score a run in the ninth on Joyce's first home run of the season, but could not complete the comeback against SIU relief pitcher Bubba Hall.
 
"Walks and errors plagued us today," said head coach Mike Kunigonis. "We have to be better and we will be better, starting next weekend against Ohio."
 
Huskies pitching allowed eight free passes on the day while the defense had three errors in the field. Joyce was 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored. Lonteen also had two hits and an run batted in.
 
NIU hosts Ohio for a four-game Mid-American Conference series beginning on Friday, April 16 at 2 p.m. at Ralph McKinzie Field. 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--