May 23, 2008

Box Score

Box Score in PDF Format

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio - Danny Reed (Lindstrom, Minn./North Iowa Area CC) delivered a walk-off single as Northern Illinois scored three times in the bottom of the ninth off the top closer in the Mid-American Conference to stave off elimination in a 6-5 triumph over Ball State Friday afternoon at VA Memorial Stadium. The Huskies (28-25) staved off elimination with their fifth walk-off win of the year and will now face Kent State tonight in a game scheduled to start at approximately 6:30 p.m. CT.

Trailing 5-3 and facing Cardinal closer Kyle Heyne, a first-team All-MAC selection, Anthony Maziur (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) led off the inning by reaching on an error. Bobby Stevens (Chicago, Ill./Guerin Prep) then single to left setting up runners at first and second for Jordin Hood (Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Lake Zurich), who promptly cleared the bases and tied the game with a double off the right field fence.

Following an intentional walk to Dave Reynolds (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg), Reed, a senior, singled to left to score Hood for the victory, keeping the Huskies alive for at least one more game.

"It was a great finish and keeps us playing," said head coach Ed Mathey. "Our goal entering the ninth was to bring the tying run to the plate. Anthony [Maziur] and Bobby [Stevens] did a nice job getting on and we had a big at-bat from Jordin [Hood]. Then Danny [Reed] had a nice piece of hitting that brought home the winning run."

Andy Deain (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge) notched the win (4-1) after 1.2 innings of scoreless relief following a magnificent performance by Matt Jernstad (Oswego, Ill./Oswego). Jernstad fanned a career-high 13 over 7.1 innings, the second-highest strikeout total on record at NIU and two away from equaling the school record, in a 140-pitch outing that resulted in a no-decision.

Matt Jernstad was two strikeouts away from tying the NIU single-game record in his 13-K performance.

"Matt turned in a great performance, the type that he is very capable of doing, and it's too bad we couldn't get him the win because he deserved it today," said Mathey.

The game was scoreless through three before Ball State got on the board with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth. Zach Dygert's lead off double and was followed by a two-run home run to left-center field by Kolbrin Vitek that put the Cardinals ahead 2-0.

Northern Illinois answered in its half of the fourth with a pair of runs to tie the game at two. Justin Behm (Downers Grove, Ill./North) and Reed (Lindstrom, Minn./North Iowa Area CC) each singled ahead of a Matt Behren (Elmwood Park, Ill./Holy Cross) double that scored Behm. The Huskies then knotted the game when Joe Buonavolanto (Willowbrook, Ill./Hinsdale South) singled up the middle to score Behren.

Ball State regained the lead at 3-2 in the top of the sixth when Dean Anna scored from third on a double steal attempt when Wayne Bond was caught stealing and tagged out in a rundown between first and second.

The Huskies answered in the bottom of the inning and tied the game on a leadoff home run to right center by Dave Reynolds (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg).

Nate Fields' solo home run in the eighth broke a 3-3 deadlock and put Ball State ahead before the Cardinals added another run on a RBI single from Dean Anna to make it 5-3.

Stevens, Hood and Reed each collected a pair of hits in the game as eight of the nine Huskie hitters had at least one hit.

Friday night's NIU-Kent State game can be heard locally on WLBK (1360-AM) and worldwide on NIUHuskies.com. The Huskies will need a victory to force a second game against the Golden Flashes, to be held Saturday if necessary, to decide who will reach the MAC Championship game. Complete tournament information and results are available on the MAC's official website, MAC-Sports.com.

HUSKIE TRACKS
-With the win, Northern Illinois matched its school-best two victories at last season's MAC Tournament.
-The Huskies went 4-0 against Ball State in 2008 and have won six of the last seven meetings in the all-time series.
-Northern Illinois homered for the 47th time this season, the second-highest total in school history.
-Bobby Stevens set a new NIU record with his 45th career hit by pitch, eclipsing the mark held by John Brock (2000-02) and improved his school-record season total to 27.
-Matt Jernstad moved into seventh place on NIU's all-time strikeouts list with 163. He also took over sole possession of fifth place on the career starts list with 39.
-Jernstad has 20 strikeouts in 14.0 innings in his two career MAC Tournament starts.

-NIU-