TOLEDO, Ohio – The Northern Illinois University baseball team held an early lead Sunday afternoon at Scott Field against the Toledo Rockets, but the hosts scored four unanswered runs in the final five innings to win the series finale 4-1.
 
NIU (12-38, 11-23 MAC) starting pitcher Michael Lasiewicz (McHenry, Ill./McHenry) got off to an efficient start, needing just five pitches to retire the Toledo side in the first. Mason Kelley (Mt. Washington, Ky./Schoolcraft College) got the Huskies' first hit in the game with a two-out double to right field. Jack Blazevich (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South) followed with a base hit to left to drive in Kelley and give NIU a 1-0 lead. Andre Demetral (Rochester, Mich./Florence Darling Tech) then singled through the left side to give the Huskies runners at the corners, but the inning ended on a groundout.
 
Lasiewicz retired the side again in the second on just nine pitches, striking out Mason Sykes for his first punchout of the game. Toledo got its first baserunner in the third when Jeron Williams drew a leadoff walk. Williams stole second base, but three flyouts ended the Rockets' half of the inning.
 
Toledo (31-21, 22-14 MAC) got its first hit off of Lasiewicz with two outs in the bottom of the fourth on a Garret Pike single. Pike then stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error by NIU catcher Scott Combs (Northville, Mich./Michigan State) trying to throw him out. He was left in scoring position as Sykes grounded out to the shortstop Demetral to end the threat.
 
The Rockets tied the game in the bottom of the fifth. Darryn Davis led off the inning with a double, then advanced to third on a Williams sacrifice bunt. Trey Wright laced a single to right field to bring Davis in to score, tying the game 1-1. NIU held Toledo to just the one run, throwing out Wright stealing second and getting Brian Fry to fly out.
 
After allowing three straight hits in the second, Toledo starting pitcher Camryn Szynski did not allow a hit in his next three innings of work. Cal McAninch picked up where Szynski left off and retired the Huskies in order in the top of the sixth.
 
Toledo broke the 1-1 tie in the bottom of the sixth. Nick Winterstein led off with a double down the right field line, advancing to third on a Scott Mackiewicz groundout to Eric Erato (Sussex, Wis./Sussex Hamilton) at second base. John Servello then hit a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in Winterstein and put the Rockets up 2-1. After being held hitless for four straight innings, NIU got a leadoff double from Brandon Johnson (Rochelle, Ill./Rochelle Twp.) in the seventh. However, Johnson was put out at third base on a fielder's choice and the Huskies were held scoreless in the frame.
 
The Rockets tacked on a pair of insurance runs with two out in the bottom of the eighth. A Garret Pike double up the middle and a Sykes single put Toledo ahead 4-1 going into the ninth. Combs led off the final inning with a single, but a double play and a groundout locked up the victory for the Rockets.
 
The Huskies' five hits in the ballgame came from five different players. Lasiewicz went seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
 
"Michael gave us a great start today," said head coach Mike Kunigonis. "He definitely deserved a better outcome. Toledo's two pitchers did just enough to keep us off balance."
 
NIU hosts Bowling Green for the final series of the regular season. The Huskies and Falcons open the weekend on Thursday, May 19 at 3 p.m. at Ralph McKinzie Field.
 
--NIU--