March 9, 2008

Box Score

Box Score in PDF Format

SAN MARCOS, Texas - Despite a quick start and 13 hits, Northern Illinois was unable to get over the hump against Texas Tech and ended up on the short end of an 8-5 outcome Sunday afternoon at Bobcat Field. Jeff Thomas (Loves Park, Ill./Harlem) and Brian Smith (Chicago Ridge, Ill./Richards) each equaled career-highs for hits as the Huskie who fell to 2-6 despite pounding out 13 hits on the afternoon.

NIU opened the game by posting two runs in the top of the first inning. With runners and second and third, Danny Reed (Lindstrom, Minn./North Iowa Area CC) delivered a single to center that plated Jordin Hood (Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Lake Zurich) and Dave Reynolds (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) to make it 2-0.

Texas Tech answered with a run in their half of the first and took the lead two innings later with a three-run fourth, that included RBI singles by Taylor Ashby and Tanner Rindels, for a 4-2 advantage.

The Red Raiders added to their lead with a run in the fourth on a solo home run by Jason Seefeld.

In the sixth, the Huskies countered when a balk scored Reynolds to cut the margin back to two at 5-3 before Tech answered with a run of their own in the fame on a RBI single by Seefeld.

NIU chopped the lead to one in its half of the seventh with the aid of two Red Raider miscues. Joe Buonavolanto (Willowbrook, Ill./Hinsdale South) led off the inning and reached on an error ahead of a Pat Minogue (Crystal Lake, Ill./Central) double. With runners and second and third, Thomas belted a single to center that scored Buonavolanto and Minogue and made it 6-5.

Texas Tech added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth on a solo homer by Roger Kieschnick and a RBI single by James Leverton that put them ahead to stay at 8-5.

Adam Holdenrid (Mendota, Ill./Mendota) took the loss (1-1) after 4.1 innings of work. Chad Bettis (2-0) earned the win for the Red Raiders, who improved to 7-6, before Zach Stewart notched the save.

The Huskies' 13 hits equaled their highest output of the year. Thomas extended his career-long hit streak to eight games with a four-hit performance while Smith collected his first three hits of the season in the contest.

NIU's Sunday action continued with a 4 p.m. contest against Texas State.

HUSKIE TRACKS
-Andy Deain's streak of consecutive 24.1 innings without allowing an earned run in a non-conference game ended. The stretch covered 19 appearances and the entire 2007 season.
-Jeff Thomas equaled his career-high with four hits, a mark set on March 10, 2006 at St. Mary's.
-Brian Smith's three hits tied a career-high set twice previously, last at Eastern Michigan on April 24, 2006.
-Sam Kapacinskas made his first Huskie start behind the plate.

-NIU-