DeKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University baseball team scored three times in the seventh to go up 6-4 on the Central Michigan Chippewas Friday afternoon at Ralph McKinzie Field at Walt and Janice Owens Park, but the Chippewas scored three times with two outs in the ninth to come back for a 7-6 win in NIU's home opener.
 
"It was a back-and-forth game and a tough day with the weather," said head coach Ryan Copeland. "At the end of the day, we should not have been in the position we were in in the ninth with three free passes. It feels like we're in a rut right now. We need to finish better so we can win games."
 
NIU (7-11, 1-6 MAC) trailed 4-3 going into the bottom of the seventh. The Huskies loaded the bases with one out on a Nolan Sandee (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet) single, followed by walks to Kaden Kosobucki (West De Pere, Wis./West De Pere) and Logan Gregorio (Naperville, Ill./Benedictine). The Chippewas went to reliever Jake Brown to face Gavin Baldwin (Nashville, Ill./SEMO). The junior first baseman laced a single through the left side to drive in two runs and give the Huskies a 5-4 lead. After a flyout Cooper Cohn (McHenry, Ill./McHenry) drew a walk to load the bases again. Charlie Parcell (Des Plaines, Ill./Maine West) drove in Gregorio when he was hit by a pitch to make the score 6-4.
 
Danny Cihocki (Princeton, Ill./Lake Land College) struck out the leadoff man in the top of the eighth, then gave up a double to Brady Krzciok. He bounced back with a strikeout and a flyout to keep NIU in front. Mason Ruh (Milwaukee, Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran HS) came in to close the game in the ninth for NIU.  He got Zach Knowlton to ground out for the first out, followed by a strikeout of Mikey Murphy. Ruh then loaded the bases on back-to-back walks and a hit by pitch. Rees Campanale then hit a flyball to the outfield that was dropped, clearing the bases to give CMU a 7-6 lead. Liam Stumpf retired the side in the bottom of the ninth to secure the series-opening win for the Chippewas.
 
Central Michigan (7-15, 3-1 MAC) opened the scoring in the top of the fourth on a leadoff home run from Campanale. The Huskies responded in the bottom of the inning. Ben Loyd (Pleasant Prairie, Wis./Kaskaskia College) led off with a single, getting to second when CMU pitcher Alejandro Espinoza bobbled a bunt from Sandee that allowed him to reach base. Kosobucki loaded the bases on another error. Gregorio tied the game with a sacrifice fly to score Sandee. After a walk to Baldwin loaded the bases, an Andrew Smart (Evanston, Ill./Oakton CC) groundout put NIU up 2-1.
 
The Chippewas scored twice in the top of the sixth as RBI singles from Campanale and Bryson Webb put CMU ahead 3-2. NIU tied the game in the bottom of the inning on another Smart groundout.
 
Gregorio, Baldwin and Smart each had two hits in the game and drove in five of NIU's six runs. Loyd also had two hits on the day. Adam Brouwer (Tinley Park, Ill./Illinois-Springfield) took a no decision, allowing three runs with one earned in six innings. Brouwer had four strikeouts while giving up six hits and two walks.
 
Due to the potential for inclement weather on Sunday, NIU and Central Michigan will play a doubleheader on Saturday, March 22 starting at 11 AM CT.
 
--NIU--