SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Northern Illinois University baseball team made a late rally in the final innings Friday afternoon but could not overcome an early Sacramento State lead in an 11-7 defeat in the 2022 season opener.
 
"It was good to get game one under our belt," said head coach Mike Kunigonis. "We entered today with a lot of questions with such a new group but the team's character was never in doubt. These guys showed resilience and battled the entire game."
 
After falling behind 3-0 after the first inning, NIU (0-1) quickly tied the game in the top of the second inning. With two on and no outs, Malik Peters (Calumet City, Ill./Mount Carmel) laced a single up the middle to score Kaden Kosobucki (West De Pere, Wis./West De Pere) from second base and make the score 3-1. Paddy McKermitt (Hampshire, Ill./Burlington Central) loaded the bases with a bunt single. Eric Erato (Sussex, Wis./Sussex Hamilton) drove home Paxton Kennedy (Mendota, Ill./Illinois Valley C.C.) with a one-out bases loaded walk, making the score 3-2. Matt Barnes (Bloomington, Ill./Heartland C.C.) then tied the game with a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Peters.
 
Sacramento State (1-0) took back the lead in the bottom of the second on a two-out RBI single from Nick Iwasa, making the score 4-3. The Hornets added two runs in the third on a Martin Vincelli-Simard double down the left field line to take a 6-3 lead. Sacramento State put another run on the board in the fourth and then four more in the seventh to take an 11-3 lead.
 
The Huskies got back on the scoreboard in the top of the eighth. With runners at second and third and one out, McKermitt drove in Kosobucki with a groundout to make the score 11-4. NIU attempted a late rally in the top of the ninth. Erato started the threat with a single. Jonathan Latham (Mahomet, Ill./Danville Area C.C.) then came in as a pinch-hitter and drew a walk. The two Huskie runners then advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch. Mason Kelley (Mt. Washington, Ky./Schoolcraft College) loaded the bases after being hit by a pitch. Kosobucki drove in Erato with a groundout to second base, putting the score at 11-5. Jack Blazevich (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South) then knocked a single up the middle, scoring both Kelley and Latham to make the score 11-7. However, Blazevich was thrown out at second base trying to stretch his hit into a double that ended the game.
 
NIU scored seven runs on seven hits Friday. Barnes was 2-for-3 in the game with an RBI and a stolen base. Peters went 2-for-4 at the plate with a double and an RBI. Reagan Klawiter (Verona, Wis./Madison College) started the game on the mound for NIU, allowing seven runs on 10 hits in four innings with four strikeouts. Tommy Meyer (Wauwatosa, Wis./Wauwatosa East) allowed just one earned run in three innings of relief with two strikeouts.
 
"We show up every day to play hard and win baseball games," Kunigonis said. "I'm very encouraged and excited to continue to watch our guys play. We're looking forward to seeing two veterans on the mound tomorrow in Michael Lasiewicz and Kyle Seebach."
 
The Huskies and Hornets will play a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 19 beginning at 3 p.m. CT.
 
--NIU--