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Anderson, Klonowski grab MAC baseball honors

April 1, 2013
Eli Anderson and Alex Klonowski

Eli Anderson and Alex Klonowski

For the first time since 2011, Northern Illinois baseball swept Mid-American Conference Pitcher and Player of the Week honors as pitcher Eli Anderson (Glenview/New Trier) and second baseman/pitcher Alex Klonowski (Kearney, Mo./Kearney) collected the accolades.

Anderson is the reigning MAC West Pitcher of the Week following a complete shutout versus Kent State.

NIU last swept the awards March 23, 2011, when Zach Oates and Alex Jones collected Pitcher and Player of the Week honors, respectively.

Anderson, collecting his second-consecutive honor of the season, pitched a complete game versus Akron Saturday in the Huskies’ 2-1 win.

Totaling 102 pitches in the game and pitching 7.2 scoreless innings, Anderson struck out six, walked zero and only allowed one earned run in the affair for his third win and second-straight complete game. Northern Illinois pitchers have combined for four complete games this season, the most in the Mid-American Conference.

Alex Klonowski

Alex Klonowski

Klonowski made his presence felt at the plate and on the mound, batting 9-for-12 (.750), sporting an on base percentage of .786 and striking out eight in five innings on the mound for his third win of the season. He also added three runs, two RBI, a walk, a stolen base and was hit by a pitch at the plate.

Klonowski reached base successfully in every plate appearance Friday and Sunday, batting 4-for-4 in both games with a walk Friday and his hit by pitch Sunday. As the NIU hurler on Easter, he struck out eight batters over five innings with only one walk and one earned run surrendered.

The honor was Klonowski’s first of his career and NIU’s first Player of the Week honor of 2013. The Huskies are coming off a weekend sweep versus Akron that improved NIU to 4-2 in conference, tying for the MAC West Division lead with Western Michigan.

Northern Illinois will return to action Wednesday afternoon when it hosts Milwaukee in its home opener. First pitch is slated for 3:05 p.m.

For more information on NIU baseball and Huskie athletics, visit www.niuhuskies.com.