May 4, 2008

Box Score

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G1 Recap: Northern Illinois Comes Up Short in First Game with Central Michigan

DeKALB, Ill. - Northern Illinois yielded four runs in the eighth and fell 7-3 to Central Michigan in the nitecap of Sunday's doubleheader at Ralph McKinzie Field. The loss dropped the Huskies to 21-23 overall and 12-9 in the MAC.

Central Michigan scored first when a solo home run by Sean Hoorelbeke put them ahead 1-0 in the second inning.

Three innings later, the Huskies knotted the game at one. Danny Reed (Lindstrom, Minn./North Iowa Area CC) provided NIU's first hit of the game with a two-out double off the left field fence before Matt Behren (Elmwood Park, Ill./Holy Cross) brought him home on a RBI single.

Northern Illinois took its first lead of the game in the sixth. Marvin Sanchez (Chicago, Ill./Clemente Academy) singled, was advanced to second on a sacrifice, moved to third on a balk and scored on an errant pickoff throw to put the home team ahead 2-1.

The Chippewas regained the lead in the seventh on a two-run home run by Tyler Stovall. One inning later, CMU added to its margin with four runs on consecutive bases-loaded walks to pinch hitters Billy Anderson and Matt Faiman and a two-run RBI single by Stovall that made the score 7-2.

The Huskies got a run back in the ninth when Reed delivered a RBI single that scored Justin Behm (Downers Grove, Ill./North) but could draw no closer.

Dan Atkenson (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) took the loss (3-1), the first of his career, for the Huskies. Starter Adam Holdenrid (Mendota, Ill./Mendota) went 6.2 innings with four hits and two earned runs in the no-decision effort.

"It was disappointing to lose the series after winning the first game on Friday," said head coach Ed Mathey. "After we lost the first game of the doubleheader today, we didn't come back the way we needed to in game two. Their pitcher kept us off balance offensively and defensively we gave up too many walks and hit batters. I thought Adam [Holdenrid] was outstanding for us but we needed a stop and a hold and didn't get it."

Eric Lawrence, who retired the first 14 batters he faced, earned the win (3-5) for Central Michigan (24-21, 11-9) with a complete game, six-hitter with one earned run.

The Huskies return to action Friday, May 9 in the first of a three-game MAC West series at Ball State.

HUSKIE TRACKS
-Northern Illinois is 4-1-1 in doubleheaders this season, including sweeps in three of four MAC twinbills.
-The Huskies are 3-1 in their four home MAC series this season and have won six of eight home conference series over the past two seasons.
-Northern Illinois was swept in a doubleheader for the first time since 2005, a road twinbill at Central Michigan.
-Jeff Thomas extended his hitting streak to 11 games, his second double-digit streak of the year, and Danny Reed increased his streak to eight.
-Brad Allen and Tom Zelasko each made their MAC pitching debuts.
-Marvin Sanchez scored his first career run in MAC play.

-NIU-