Northern Illinois Opens MAC Division Play This Weekend at Toledo :: Huskies begin stretch run of five consecutive series against the Western Division opposition

Huskies begin stretch run of five consecutive series against the Western Division opposition

April 17, 2008

Games 33-35: April 18-20
NORTHERN ILLINOIS (15-17, 8-4) at TOLEDO (9-21, 3-6) Friday: 2 p.m. CT; Saturday: Noon CT; Sunday: Noon CT
Location: Scott Park, Toledo, Ohio
Live Coverage: UT Live Stats via NIUHuskies.com
Series History: Toledo leads 25-19; Ed Mathey vs. Toledo: 10-7
Last Meeting: 2007, UT 6-4 (5/17), UT 8-7 (5/18); NIU 13-9 (5/19) at Toledo; NIU 11-10 (5/24) at MAC Tournament
Notes: The teams split four meetings last season with the Huskies winning the final two, including the second round meeting at the MAC Tournament ... Tim Kamin hit .833 (5-for-6) with 3 HR and 10 RBI in six games against the Rockets in 2007.

PROBABLE PITCHERS
G1: NIU RHP Trevor Feeney (2-3, 4.47) vs. UT LHP Kyle Rawlings (1-4, 7.03)
G2: NIU LHP Adam Holdenrid (3-2, 3.25) vs. UT RHP Justin Collop (2-4, 6.21)
G3: NIU TBA vs. UT LHP Ryan France (3-4, 6.26)

SHORT HOPS
-Northern Illinois set a new all-time baseball attendance record with 4,600 for Wednesday's game vs. Notre Dame at U.S. Cellular Field, home of the Chicago White Sox. Proceeds from the event benefited the NIU February 14 Scholarship Fund.

-Bobby Stevens was named to the College Baseball Foundation's National All-Star Lineup after hitting .643 with 10 runs and four steals in four games last week. During the three-game sweep of Akron, Stevens batted .700, slugged .900, scored eight runs, stole three bases and reached base 11 times in 14 plate appearances. He enters the weekend with a statistical anomaly, having been hit by a pitch in six consecutive games.

-Northern Illinois players top nine of the MAC's statistical categories: Dan Atkenson (ERA), Andy Deain/Atkenson (appearances), Atkenson (opponent batting average), Justin Behm (conference HR), Bobby Stevens (conference SB), Behm (conference slugging), Deain (conference wins), Atkenson/Deain (conference appearances), Trevor Feeney (conference CG).

-The Huskies have stolen a base in 10 consecutive games and 20 of their last 22 contests. NIU has recorded multiple steals in 18 games, including each of the last eight outings. Five different players have six or more stolen bases.

-The Huskies feature two players on three different national award watch lists: C Matt Behren (Johnny Bench Award) and P Andy Deain (Brooks Wallace Award and Roger Clemens Award). This season marks the second consecutive season that NIU has had multiple players on national watch lists.

IN MEMORIUM
As a tribute to the victims of the Feb. 14 campus tragedy, Northern Illinois is wearing ribbon logo decals on the back of its batting helmets along with patches on its jerseys that feature the ribbon logo and the words "Forward, Together Forward."

RECORD ATTENDANCE AT THE CELL
Northern Illinois baseball set a new single-game attendance record of 4,600 April 16 vs. Notre Dame at U.S. Cellular Field. The predominantly Huskie crowd topped the previous mark of 4,304 at Nebraska in 2005. All proceeds from the game at The Cell went to the NIU February 14 Scholarship Fund.

HOMEGROWN TALENT
Northern Illinois has 24 Chicagoland natives on its 2008 roster, the highest concentration of Chicago-area players (83 percent) of any Division I school in Illinois. The Huskies have 26 players (90 percent) who hail from the Land of Lincoln and three non-Illinois natives who all originate from different states, including Minnesota and representation from the "sunshine states" of California and Florida.

THOU SHALT STEAL
Northern Illinois owns a MAC-leading 55 stolen bases in 32 games, a total that is on pace to threaten the highest mark of the Ed Mathey era (85 in 2004). The Huskies have stolen a base in 11 consecutive games and 21 of their last 23 contests. NIU has recorded multiple steals in 19 games, including each of the last nine outings, and have five different players have six or more stolen bases led by Bobby Stevens' 18.

WALK (OFF) THIS WAY
The Huskies posted three walk-off wins within a six-game stretch over a recent 10-day span, April 2-11. Jordin Hood delivered a 10th-inning single in a 3-2 win over Milwaukee on April 2 and his heroics were followed two games later when Jeff Thomas had a ninth-inning bases-loaded infield single to top Kent State 3-2 on April 5. Hood repeated his feat on April 11 with a bases-loaded single in the ninth for a 5-4 win over Akron.

LAND OF LINCOLN LEADERS
Northern Illinois is one of just three Division I Illinois schools to post three 30-plus win seasons in the past five years (with Southern Illinois and Illinois-Chicago). Along the way, the Huskies have made a habit of winning their games against intrastate opposition under Ed Mathey, compiling a sparkling 45-21 (.682) record since 2003 for the highest victory total of any Illinois team versus in-state opponents during that span. Over the past two seasons, NIU has a 23-7 (.767) record against Division I intrastate foes, including an 11-2 mark in 2006 when they notched wins over all seven Land of Lincoln opponents to claim the Illinois "state championship."

ON A PROFESSIONAL LEVEL
Northern Illinois will play games at five different professional ballparks during the regular season with "tour stops" at Surprise (Ariz.) Stadium (Royals/Rangers Spring Training), Rent One Ballpark (Southern Illinois Miners/Marion, Ill.), Dr. Pepper Ballpark (Frisco Roughriders/Frisco, Texas), U.S. Cellular Field (Chicago White Sox) and Elfstrom Stadium (Kane County Cougars). Should the Huskies reach the MAC Tournament held at VA Memorial Stadium (Chillicothe Paints/Chillicothe, Ohio), that number will grow to six pro venues.

HOW SWEEP IT IS
The Huskies have swept three doubleheaders and two MAC series this season, including last weekend against Akron. In its most recent sweep, NIU scored 28 runs in the April 12 twinbill, marking the highest doubleheader run total against a Division I foe since 2001. The other two Huskie doubleheader sweeps this season have come on the road, at MAC foe Buffalo and at intrastate rival Southern Illinois.

FIRST AND FOREMOST
Northern Illinois has scored 45 runs in the first inning this season, 10 more tallies than any other frame, which accounts for 23 percent of its runs. The Huskies have struck in their initial at-bat in each of the last six contests and eight of the last nine outings. NIU is 11-9 when it scores in the first inning this season and owns a 10-10 record when scoring the first run(s) of a game.

DOWNING THE VALLEY
The Huskies have compiled a 21-14 (.600) record against Missouri Valley Conference opponents over the past six seasons, including a 3-2 (.600) mark so far in 2008. NIU has been .500 or better each season against MVC competition since 2003 while facing Southern Illinois, Bradley, Illinois State and Northern Iowa during that stretch.

BIG TEN TRIUMPHS
With Northern Illinois' 5-4 victory over Iowa on March 26, head coach Ed Mathey improved to 7-5 against Big Ten opponents. The Huskies have won four of their last five games against Big Ten teams.

HEAD OF THE CLASS
According to the Perfect Game Crosschecker recruiting rankings, Northern Illinois' early signees are ranked No. 63 nationally, highest among MAC and Illinois schools. NIU's class is headlined by P Kyle Stroup (Ingleside, Ill.) and also includes P Zach Badgley (McHenry, Ill.), IF Alex Beckmann (Batavia, Ill.), C Brett Frantini (Minooka, Ill.), OF/P Jake Hermsen (New London, Wisc.), P Chuck Lukanen (Elgin, Ill.) and P Chris Wakefield (Cherokee, Ga.).

ALL IN THE FAMILY
The surname Badgley is synonymous with Northern Illinois baseball as outfielder/pitcher Nick becomes the third member of the family to don the Cardinal and Black. The latest Badgley was a junior college All-American last season and succeeds brothers Dan (1997-2001) and Mark (2003-07), who both pitched for the Huskies. Younger brother Zach signed a National Letter of Intent with Northern Illinois in November and will be a freshman on the 2009 team. All told, NIU has had a Badgley on the roster every season except one (2002) since 1997, a trend that could eventually span 16 seasons when the youngster brother, Zach, is scheduled to be a senior on the 2012 squad.

BATTLE TESTED
Northern Illinois has been anything but shy when it comes to scheduling the top programs in college baseball. This season the Huskies faced No. 25 Oklahoma, No. 29 Notre Dame and two teams receiving votes in the NCBWA poll (Texas-San Antonio and Dallas Baptist). During Ed Mathey's tenure, the Huskies have made trips to take on nationally-ranked foes Arizona State, Nebraska, Texas Tech and Florida Atlantic and future opponents include Mississippi State, Arizona State, Oregon State, Missouri, and USC in the next two seasons.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Ed Mathey has had 17 players sign professional contracts during his five seasons at Northern Illinois, including an active streak of five years with at least Major League affiliate signee. Most recently, pitchers Mark Badgley and Matt German signed with Florida Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies following the completion of their eligibility in 2007. Also signing professionally after his senior season a year ago was Scott Simon, who inked a contract with the Southern Illinois Miners of the independent Frontier League.

GENTLEMEN AND SCHOLARS
Northern Illinois baseball continued its success in the classroom with a total of 13 players posting cumulative grade point averages of 3.0 or better through the fall. Pat Minogue and freshman Zach Oates and Tom Zelasko comprised the trio of players who earned Victory Scholar (3.5-4.0 GPA) recognition. Huskie Scholar (3.0-3.49) accolades went to 10 players: Brad Allen, Dan Atkenson, Nick Badgley, Cody Beck, Matt Behren, Joe Buonavolanto, Joe Etcheverry, Tim Kamin, Marvin Sanchez and Bobby Stevens.

WHITE SOX, ROYALS REACH OUT
As part of the Huskies season-opening trip to Arizona, the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals each honored the team prior to their Feb. 27 Cactus League openers. Head coach Ed Mathey and pitcher Trevor Feeney threw out the first pitch prior to the White Sox-Rockies game in Tucson as the Sox donned NIU baseball hats during the contest. In Surprise, senior outfielders Jeff Thomas and Danny Reed threw out the first pitch prior to the Royals-Rangers game and afterwards KC manager Trey Hillman and former star Frank White spoke to the team.

SOX AUCTION RAISES $10,000
The White Sox auctioned NIU baseball items signed by a number of Sox players along with two additional autographed White Sox items with proceeds benefitting the NIU February 14 Scholarship Fund. The bids from fans for the six items totaled $7,091. Chicago White Sox Charities contributed another $2,909 for a total donation of $10,000.

HALL OF FAME MATERIAL
The National College Baseball Hall of Fame requested a bat from former NIU standout Scott Simon (2003-07) to add to its memorabilia. Simon is the Mid-American Conference's all-time hit king with 318 and owns 10 Huskie career and season records.

STREAKERS
Justin Behm and Jordin Hood each enter the weekend with six-game hitting streaks. Earlier this season, Danny Reed put together a career-best 17-game streak, the second-longest on record at NIU, and Jeff Thomas began the 2008 season by hitting safely in a career-best 12 games, the only double-digit streaks by Huskies this season.

ETC.
A collection of random facts about Huskie personnel ... Head coach Ed Mathey is a member of the 2008 College Baseball Hall of Fame Voting Committee as the Midwest's "active coaches" regional representative ... Matt Behren, Pat Minogue, Brian Smith and Bobby Stevens were selected as 2008 team captains ... Dan Atkenson was recently named an All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete ... Joe Buonavolanto's parents own the popular "Buona Beef" restaurants in the Chicagoland area ... Brandon Copp, whose mother is a police officer (but does not have the last name Copp), wears the number "five-oh" ... Joe Etcheverry is the first Californian to play for the Huskies ... At 6'7" Zach Oates is the tallest Huskie player to take the field since 1980 ... Jeff Thomas is writing a blog titled "Out in Left Field" throughout the season on NIUHuskies.com.