KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Brandon Johnson (Rochelle, Ill./Rochelle Township) drove in four runs and Michael Lasiewicz (McHenry, Ill./McHenry) picked up his first career save as the Northern Illinois University baseball team defeated Western Michigan, 10-8, in the second game of a doubleheader at Western Michigan on Friday afternoon (April 29). NIU fell in the first game of the doubleheader, 7-1. 

"Great second game battle to get back in the series," said NIU head coach Mike Kunigonis. "The combo of (Connor) Langreder, (Kyle) Seebach and (Michael) Lasiewicz was a winning one. Brandon (Johnson) came up huge for us offensively with a home run and triple when we need them both. The offensive combo of 4,5,6 with Johnson, (Malik) Peters and (Scott) Combs was productive, driving in all our runs. We need to be back tomorrow and be ready to get game one."

The Huskies pounded out 16 hits in the second game on Friday with Scott Combs (Northville, Mich./Michigan State) going 3-of-5 at the plate with three RBI while Carlos Aranda (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/Ellsworth CC), Eric Erato (Sussex, Wis./Sussex Hamilton), Johnson, Malik Peters (Calumet City, Ill./Mount Carmel), Paxton Kennedy (Mendota, Ill./Illinois Valley CC) and Andre Demetral (Rochester, Mich./Florence Darling Technical College) all had two hits in the contest. 

NIU scored a pair of runs in the first. A leadoff single from Aranda and a pair of two-out walks to Johnson and Peters brought Combs to the plate with the bases loaded. The Huskies catcher singled through the left side, scoring a pair, to give NIU a 2-0 lead. 

The Huskies added another run in the third. Erato singled to left center to open the frame, he moved to third on a double by Peters and was driven home on a single to right by Combs as NIU took a three-run lead. 

Western Michigan answered with four runs in the bottom of the third. Will Morrison struck out to open the inning but reached on a wild pitch. He scored three batters later on an error while three hits in the inning, including a pair of doubles, helped the Broncos plate four and take a one-run advantage. 

The Broncos added another run in the fifth and one in the sixth to take a 6-3 lead. 

NIU scored five in the top of the seventh as the Huskies went in front, 8-6. Singles from Aranda and Erato brought Johnson to the plate with one out and the Huskie leftfielder hit a three-run homer down the right field line to tie the game at six. Peters made it back-to-back home runs for the Huskies as he hit a round-tripper to left to give the Huskies the lead. COMBS then doubled and moved to third on a single by Kennedy before scoring on a double steal for the fifth run of the inning for the Huskies. 

Cade Sullivan hit a solo home run for Western Michigan in the bottom half of the seventh as the Bronco trimmed the Huskie advantage back to 8-7. WMU scored one more in the ninth and had the bases loaded with one out, but Kyle Seebach (Rochelle, Ill./Rochelle Township) recorded back-to-back strike outs to help send the game to extra innings. 

After a scoreless 10th, the Huskies got a pair in the 11th. Erato walked to open the inning and scored on a triple by Johnson, who scored one batter later on a sacrifice fly from Peters. 

In the bottom of the 11th, Lasiewicz came out of the bullpen for the first time in his NIU career to get the save. Connor Langreder (West De Pere, Wis./West De Pere) got the start and went 3.2 innings before Seebach came on and struck out nine in 6.1 to get the victory. 

Three runs in the third and four in the fourth got the better of the Huskies in the first game of the doubleheader. 

Mason Ruh (Milwaukee, Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran HS) and RJ Nowicki (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Barrington) combined for 2.1 scoreless innings in relief for the Huskies. Nick Crandell went all seven for the Broncos, scattering seven hits while walking just one as he picked up his second victory of the season. 

Aranda and Matt Barnes (Bloomington, Ill./Heartland Community College) each had a pair of hits in the series opener for the Huskies.

NIU and Western Michigan will conclude their series with another doubleheader on Saturday, April 30, with the first pitch of game one set for 11 a.m. CT.