YPSILANTI, Mich. – The Northern Illinois University Huskies pounded out 12 hits, including three each by Eric Erato and Kam Smith and put runners on base in eight of nine innings, but fell to Eastern Michigan, 10-4, in the Mid-American Conference series opener at Oestrike Stadium.
 
Eastern Michigan took advantage of early wildness by Huskie starting pitcher Kyle Seebach (0-4) to take a 4-0 lead in the first. EMU scored on a walk, a single and two Seebach wild pitches before left fielder Gabe Denton homered to left centerfield to extend the lead to 3-0. The Eagles added a run on two singles and a fielder's choice, forcing the Huskies to play catch-up the rest of the game.
 
"EMU did a good job of capitalizing on our mistakes early," said NIU head coach Mike Kunigonis. "We battled and clawed our way back in the sixth with four runs to pull within two, and had several other chances to scratch out a couple more runs but couldn't get the next big hit.
 
"We will bounce back and be ready to go [Saturday] to get back in the series."
 
The Eagles (19-20, 13-15 MAC) extended their lead to 6-0 with single runs in the second and fifth off Seebach, who surrendered six runs on eight hits with three walks, eight strikeouts and six wild pitches in a five-inning stint.
 
Starter Luke McGuire (5-5) went six innings to earn the win for EMU, while Davis Feldman collected his first save with three innings of scoreless relief.
 
Centerfielder Brady Huebbe cut the Eagles lead in half in the sixth with a three-run home run, his fourth of the year. After Kam Smith singled to lead off the inning and catcher Jake Dunham dropped a hit into right center to extend his hitting streak to 12 games, Huebbe drove a ball over the wall in left centerfield to pick up three RBI. 
 
After Huebbe cleared the bases, the Huskies kept the pressure on. With two outs, designated hitter Marcus Peters singled and stole second and Brendan Joyce was hit by a pitch. Erato singled to drive in Peters, pulling NIU within two runs, 6-4.
 
EMU came back with two runs versus Huskie reliever Nick Bonk in their half of the sixth to push its lead to 8-4. Christian Bault led off with a solo homer to left and Gabe Denton singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch before scoring on a Mike Monahan single.
 
EMU's Taylor Hopkins blasted a two-run homer off of NIU reliever Tristan Michaels in the seventh to provide the final margin.
 
In addition to Erato and Smith, Jordan Larson had a pair of hits for NIU, including his third double of the season.
 
NIU fell to 12-31 overall, 11-18 in the MAC with the loss.  The series continues Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. (CT).
 
-- NIU --