KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Tommy Meyer (Wauwatosa, Wis./Wauwatosa East) went 6.1 innings and Nick Bonk (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Stevenson) came on for the final 2.2 innings as the pair combined to allow just seven hits as the Northern Illinois University baseball team defeated Western Michigan, 7-1, in the second game of Saturday's (April 30) doubleheader. The Broncos won the first game of the day, 11-6, as the two teams split the four-game series. 

"Tommy Meyer and Nick Bonk were awesome today," said NIU head coach Mike Kunigonis. "Both of those guys were lights out. It was a tough game one, we battled and fought but we were chasing those seven runs early, which as tough to come back from. Conner Lutes did a good job giving us a couple clean innings to give us a chance to get back in that game. In game two, as I said, Meyer and Bonk were great, then we had some timely hitting, some good defense and played really well in that game."

Following a scoreless first two innings in the nightcap, the Huskies broke the deadlock in the third as Matt Barnes (Bloomington, Ill./Heartland CC) hit a one-out double down the right field line and scored when Eric Erato (Sussex, Wis./Sussex Hamilton) followed with a double to right, giving NIU a 1-0 advantage. 

NIU added to its lead in the sixth with a pair of runs. Brandon Johnson (Rochelle, Ill./Rochelle Township) hit a one-out double, Malik Peters (Calumet City, Ill./Mount Carmel) then singled, and Scott Combs (Northville, Mich./Michigan State) had a sacrifice fly to score Johnson. Following a Paxton Kennedy (Mendota, Ill./Illinois Valley CC) walk, Aaron Harper (Hemet, Calif./Mt. San Jacinto College) singled up the middle to bring home Peters and give the Huskies a three-run lead. 

In the eighth, NIU scored four more runs to take a 7-0 lead. Erato led off the inning with a single and, after Johnson doubled and Peters walked, the bases were loaded. Erato would score on a wild pitch before Combs drove in two with a single to center. Mason Kelley (Mt. Washington, Ky./Schoolcraft College) would then drive in the fourth run of the inning with a double to left. 

Western Michigan added a consolation run in the bottom of the ninth to spoil the shutout, but not the performance as Meyer went 6.1 innings, allowing just five hits with six strikeouts. Bonk came on in relief and picked up his first save of the season, going 2.2 innings, allowing two hits and no walks with three strikeouts. 

Combs went 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBI; Erato, Johnson and Kennedy also had two hits in the contest. 

Western Michigan scored four in the first and three in the second to take a seven-run lead early in the opening game of the day. 

Peters drove in the first run for the Huskies in the top of the fourth with a single down the right field line to score Erato. The Broncos added three more runs in the fifth as they increased their lead to 10-1. 

After a short rain delay in the bottom of the fifth, NIU scored three runs in the top of the sixth. Barnes singled to open the inning and Erato reached on an error. Barnes scored on a groundout by Johnson and Erato came around on a single up the middle by Peters. Three batters later, Peters scored on a passed ball. The Broncos added a run in the bottom half of the sixth to lead 11-4.

In the seventh, the Huskies scored a pair of runs as Erato singled home Carlos Aranda (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/Ellsworth CC) and Barnes scored on a ground out by Peters, but the home team held on for the 11-6 victory. 

Peters went 3-for-4 with three RBI in the first game of the day while Erato also had three hits. Dane Armbrustmacher picked up the win for Western Michigan, allowing just one run in five innings while striking out six. 

The Huskies will return home to Ralph McKinzie Field next weekend when they host Eastern Michigan in a four-game set. The first game of the series is slated for Friday, May 6 at 3 p.m.