BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Northern Illinois University baseball team came back from being 4-2 down on Friday against the Bowling Green Falcons to tie the game at 4-4, but the Falcons got a game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth from Gavin Ganun to win 5-4 at Steller Field.

"Today was a really good baseball game," said head coach Ryan Copeland. "Obviously Bowling Green was going to fight and find a way to even up the series. We had a couple opportunities where we had a runner thrown out at the plate and didn't do quite enough to find a way to win the series today."

NIU (21-32, 9-20 MAC) broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the fifth. The Huskies had runners on first and second with one out after back-to-back singles from Charlie Parcell (Des Plaines, Ill./Maine West) and Logan Gregorio (Naperville, Ill./Benedictine). After a strikeout, Will Couchman (Edina, Minn./NIACC) hit a single to left field to drive in Parcell and put NIU up 2-1.

Bowling Green (32-20, 18-11 MAC) responded in the bottom of the inning. Caden Parker and Garrett Sloan hit back-to-back singles with one out. Ty Brachbill (Shelbyville, Ill./Shelbyville) surrendered his first walk of the game to Gunner Antillon, then walked Garrett Wright to tie the game 2-2. Zach Horky hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Sloan and put the Falcons up 3-2. Bowling Green extended its lead to 4-2 in the sixth on a two-out RBI single by Parker.

The Huskies closed the gap to 4-3 in the top of the seventh as Parcell scored from second on an error by second baseman Sam Seidel, his third run of the game. Parcell was 2-for-3 in the game and was hit by a pitch twice.

"Charlie's been swinging the bat really well lately," Copeland said of the sophomore centerfielder and leadoff man. "He's taking his walks and getting on base however he can. When Charlie's going, our whole offense goes and for him to be on base four times is a testament to the work he's put in. He's shown a lot of growth as a hitter and we'll expect more from him in the next two years."

With Gregorio at second and two outs, Couchman hit a single to centerfield. Wright came up throwing and got Gregorio at home plate to keep the Falcons in front.

Zach Hise (Joliet, Ill./Kentucky) came in from the NIU bullpen in the seventh and threw a scoreless inning, stranding two runners on base. JP Gauthier (De Pere, Wis./Illinois State) led off the top of the eighth with a single and reached second base on an Andrew Smart (Evanston, Ill./Oakton CC) sacrifice bunt. Nolan Sandee (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet) then ripped a double to right field to bring Gauthier around to score and tie the game 4-4.

NIU had a chance to take the lead in the ninth with runners at the corners and one out. Gauthier put down a squeeze bunt with the Bowling Green pitcher Connar Penrod throwing home to nab Gregorio trying to score. The Falcons loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth when Ganun stepped up and hit a single to right field to win the game 5-4.

The Huskies took an early 1-0 lead as a Gavin Baldwin (Nashville, Ill./SEMO) double scored Parcell all the way from first base. The Falcons threatened to tie the game in the bottom of the first. Wright hit a double with one out but was left on base Brachbill struck out Horky and Gavin Ganun to end the inning. Brachbill struck out two more Bowling Green batters in the second.

Bowling Green tied the game in the bottom of the third on a Parker leadoff home run. Brachbill struck out Sloan but Antillon reached base on an infield single. Antillon got to third on a wild pitch with two outs. Brachbill struck out Horky to end the frame and keep the game tied. NIU had a chance to take back the lead in the top of the fourth. Gauthier hit a single up the middle with one out. He advanced to second as Smart was hit by a Carrson Sova pitch. Sova bounced back with consecutive strikeouts to end the inning.

Brachbill and Sova combined to strikeout 17 batters on Friday. Sova had nine strikeouts over four innings for Bowling Green, allowing one run on two hits. Brachbill tied a season-high with eight strikeouts in five innings, allowing three runs on five hits with two walks. It was Brachbill's tenth start this season with at least five strikeouts.

"Ty's last two outings to end the season were very good," said Copeland. "I'm glad he got to finish the season on a positive note and put us in a position to win the game.

NIU wraps up its 2025 season on Saturday, May 17 in the series finale against Bowling Green at 12 p.m. CT.

—NIU—