March 1, 2008

Box Score

Box Score in PDF Format

MARION, Ill. - A six-run fifth inning keyed Northern Illinois' 9-4 victory over Southern Illinois Saturday night and gave the Huskies a doubleheader sweep of the Salukis at Rent One Park. The sweep was the first by NIU since 2006 and its first road sweep since 2001.

"I think we played well defensively all day," said head coach Ed Mathey. "Brandon Copp had good stuff but struggled a bit with command but our defense helped him out. We are starting to swing the bats better and we were able to take advantage of some mistakes by SIU. They are a good ball club and just made some errors that cost them tonight."

Trailing 4-2 in the fifth, NIU struck for a season-high six runs in the frame. Pat Minogue (Crystal Lake, Ill./Central) began the inning's scoring when he crossed the plate on a throwing error and Danny Reed (Lindstrom, Minn./North Iowa Area CC) put the Huskies ahead with a two-run single that plated Bobby Stevens (Chicago, Ill./Guerin Prep) and Jeff Thomas (Loves Park, Ill./Harlem). Dave Reynolds (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) added to the lead with a RBI single before an error pushed two more Huskie runs across to make it 8-4.

NIU tacked on one more run in the sixth when Thomas' sacrifice fly scored Stevens to make it 9-4.

Starter Brandon Copp (Aurora, Ill./West) lasted 5.1 innings to earn the win (1-0) in his first start of the season and has won his last nine non-conference decisions. Dave Nykiel (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) earned his second career save while tossing a scoreless final 3.2 innings in relief.

Justin Behm (Downers Grove, Ill./North), who tied his career-high, and Stevens each had three hits in the game to lead the Huskie attack.

SIU scored the game's first run in it first at-bat on a Mark Kelly RBI single. The Huskies countered in their next at-bat with a sacrifice fly by Joe Buonavolanto (Willowbrook, Ill./Hinsdale South) that scored Behm and evened the game at one. One inning later, NIU took its first lead of the game when Reed brought in Stevens with a RBI single in the third.

The home team regained the lead at 3-2 in the bottom of the third when Adam Hills hit a two-run inside-the-park home run on a ball that skipped past a diving Minogue and rolled all the way to the center field fence.

The Huskies and Salukis wrap up their series Sunday with a 1 p.m. start at Abe Martin Field on the SIU campus.

HUSKIE TRACKS
-Northern Illinois ran its mark to 44-19 (.698) against intrastate opponents under Ed Mathey. The Huskies own an eight-game winning streak against Illinois Division I foes.
-Mathey moved his record against MVC teams to 20-12 (.625), including a 9-6 mark against the Salukis.
-NIU clinched its second series win over SIU in the past three seasons. The Huskies have won the last three meetings in the all-time series and five of the last seven contests.
-Dave Nykiel recorded his first save since April 19, 2005, a four-inning outing against Chicago State.

-NIU-