NORMAL, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University baseball team fell behind 6-0 early against the Illinois State Redbirds at Duffy Bass Field Wednesday night and cut the deficit to two, but the hosts pulled away for a 14-6 victory.
Illinois State (19-19) jumped out to a fast start, batting around in the bottom of the first. With two on and one out Judah Morris ripped a double off the left center wall to put the Redbirds 1-0. Brayden Bakes then hit a flyball to left that was dropped, scoring Illinois State's second run. Graham Mastros delivered a two-run double to left field to make the score 4-0. Daniel Contreras then hit a single through the right side to drive in Mastros and put the Redbirds up 5-0. Illinois State tacked on another run in the second inning to take a 6-0 lead.
NIU (15-25) brought in reliever
Gavin Micklinghoff (McHenry, Ill./McHenry County College) in the third and he retired the side in order. He did the same in the fourth. The Huskies then got on the board in the top of the fifth.
Kaden Kosobucki (West De Pere, Wis./West De Pere) led off with a walk, getting to third on a
Kayden Jennings (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) double with one out.
Charlie Parcell (Des Plaines, Ill./Maine West) drove in Kosobucki with a groundout to make the score 6-1.
Logan Gregorio (Naperville, Ill./Benedictine) drew a walk to set up a
JP Gauthier (De Pere, Wis./Illinois State) three-run home run over the left field wall that drew NIU within two, 6-4.
"We moved JP into the three hole to try and ride a hot hand there," said head coach
Ryan Copeland. "Of course he comes up in a big moment and hits the big home run to get us close. That's kinda the responsibility you have as a head coach to try and push some different buttons, change things up and try to get your guys a different look."
The Redbirds extended their lead to 7-4 in the sixth on a Shai Robinson run-scoring groundout. Illinois State pulled away in the seventh, scoring four runs on a Morris leadoff home run and three on bases loaded walks to go up 11-4. NIU got a run back in the top of the eighth when
Cooper Cohn (McHenry, Ill./McHenry) drove in
Gavin Baldwin (Nashville, Ill./SEMO) from second base with a single to right field. Illinois State scored three times in the bottom of the inning to go up 14-5. Gregorio got his second hit of the game in the top of the ninth with a double that scored
Jalen House (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) and made the final score 14-6.
"It wasn't a great start or finish for us tonight," Copeland said. "I really liked how we played innings two through seven. A game like today's tested the depth of our bullpen. We need the guys at the back end to keep us in games, give our offense a chance to go hit a big home run or force the other team to use some of their better arms."
Gauthier's home run was his eighth of the season. The senior outfielder has driven in nine runs in his last six games. On the mound, Micklinghoff tied his season high with three innings of relief, striking out two batters while allowing just one hit. It was his sixth appearance this season where he did not allow a run.
"We were just looking for an inning or two to try and calm the game down a bit," said Copeland said about bringing Micklinghoff into Wednesday's game. "He ended up throwing three scoreless and was really good. It was great to see from him. Gavin's shown that he can be more than capable of getting outs at this level. He just has to find a little more consistency."
NIU is back at Ralph McKinzie Field at Walt and Janice Owens Park this weekend to host the Western Michigan Broncos. The three-game series begins Friday, April 25 at 3 p.m.
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