April 13, 2008

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G2 Recap: Northern Illinois Powers Past Akron 14-10 to Complete Doubleheader and Series Sweep

DeKALB, Ill. - Justin Behm (Downers Grove, Ill./North) tied the Northern Illinois single-game RBI record with eight as the Huskies posted a 14-11 slugfest victory over Akron in the first game of a Sunday's doubleheader at Ralph McKinzie Field. NIU won its fourth MAC game in the last five tries while improving to 14-16 overall and 7-4 in league play. The two teams combined for 28 total hits and 17 runs in the sixth and seventh innings as the 25 combined runs marked the Huskies' highest-scoring game of the year.

Trailing 11-9 in the seventh, the Huskies scored fives times, including four runs off the bat of Behm, who delivered his second home run of the game and his second career grand slam.

The Huskies got on board in the first when Bobby Stevens (Chicago, Ill./Guerin Prep) doubled and was followed by a two-run home run over the right field fence from Behm.

Akron erased the lead with three runs in the second and extended the margin to 5-2 in the fourth on a RBI single by Kevin Haas and a double from John Turk.

NIU got a run back in the fifth on a Jordin Hood (Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Lake Zurich) infield single that plated Jeff Thomas (Loves Park, Ill./Harlem) and made it 5-3.

Akron scored four times in the sixth, keyed by a three-run home run by Kurt Davidson, to up its lead to 9-3.

Joe Buonavolanto established career-highs for hits and doubles with three two-baggers vs. Akron.

The Huskies batted around and rallied to tie the game at nine with a six spot in the sixth. Joe Buonavolanto (Willowbrook, Ill./Hindsdale South) started the scoring by belting a RBI double down the left field line to score Danny Reed (Lindstrom, Minn./North Iowa Area CC). Two batters later, Thomas singled through the hole between first and second to score Buonavolanto and Pat Minogue (Crystal Lake, Ill./Central). The inning continued with a RBI single from Reed that plated Thomas and Stevens to knot the game.

The Zips regained the lead at 11-9 in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Phil Bednar and a RBI single by John Turk.

Thomas got the Huskies back within a run on a RBI single that scored Buonavolanto in the seventh. NIU then loaded the bases for Behm, who blasted a monster shot over left field for his sixth home run of the season to give the Huskies a 14-11 lead.

Behm and Buonavolanto tied for the Huskie lead with three hits each. Thomas added three RBI and scored three times and Stevens totaled three runs in the contest.

Andy Deain (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge) picked up the win (3-0) in relief while setting a career-high with five strikeouts in 2.1 innings of work.

Benjamin Danziger (2-3) took the loss for Akron (14-12, 1-4).

The Huskies and Zips will wrap up the series with Sunday's nitecap.

HUSKIE TRACKS
-Justin Behm's eight RBI tied the NIU single-game record set by Joe Milroy at Creighton on March 20, 1999.
-All six of Behm's home runs have come in MAC play, four of those at McKinzie Field.
-Behm recorded his second game with five or more RBI this season, both of which came in home MAC games.
-Joe Buonavolanto set career-highs with three hits and three doubles. He became the first Huskie to record a three double game since Scott Simon achieved that feat on May 14, 2004 vs. Miami.
-Northern Illinois is now 10-8 when scoring in the first inning this season.
-The Huskies recorded their seventh consecutive game with multiple stolen bases.
-Nick Badgley recorded his first career MAC hit with a pinch-hit single in the sixth.

-NIU-