NIU Today

Fans of the Northern Illinois University baseball program can follow 22 current NIU Huskies and three future Huskies across eight different states, stretching the East and West coasts throughout the summer, as they play collegiate summer baseball. “The best way to get better at baseball is to keep playing baseball. It’s important that our guys...

Northern Illinois’ bid at a Mid-American Conference Tournament berth fell short Saturday afternoon as the MAC Champion Ball State Cardinals (38-16, 22-4 MAC) defeated the Huskies, 10-2. Junior Micah McCulloch (Rochelle, Illinois/Rochelle Township) finished the game one triple shy of the cycle, going 3-for-3 with a home run, a double and two RBI. Kevin Sweeney...

The NIU Huskies (17-34-1, 11-14 MAC) scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to cut their deficit to one run, 4-3, but Ball State (36-16, 20-4 MAC) hung on to its lead to win its first Mid-American Conference regular season championship since 2001. Joe Battaglia (Westchester, Illinois/St. Joseph) finished 2-for-3 with two...

Senior Alex Klonowski (Kearney, Missouri/Kearney) set the NIU baseball (16-33-1, 11-13 MAC) single-season record for complete game shutouts in a season Sunday to clinch the series over Akron in a 2-0 victory. Klonowski scattered two hits, striking out seven with two walks on Senior Day. The shutout by Klonowski also tied the career record for...

The NIU Huskies (15-32-1, 9-12 MAC) had its opportunities to take the series at Kent State (30-17, 14-7 MAC) but the Golden Flashes plated five runs in the bottom of the second to take the series with an 8-2 victory. Brian Sisler (DeKalb, Illinois/DeKalb) finished 2-for-4 at the plate while Justin Fletcher (Pekin, Illinois/Illinois Central)...

Sophomore Jordan Ruckman (Kankakee, Illinois/Herscher) tossed the first complete game shutout of his career Wednesday night versus Northwestern (12-29) as Northern Illinois (14-30-1) defeated the Wildcats, 4-0. Ruckman fanned eight batters and only allowed three hits while walking four. “Jordan was outstanding and a lot of credit goes to him. He was throwing strikes and...

Senior Alex Klonowski (Kearney, Missouri/Kearney) threw his second complete game shutout of the season Sunday over Western Michigan (15-23, 6-12 MAC) to lead the NIU Huskies (13-29-1 8-10 MAC) over the Broncos and clinch the series, 1-0. Klonowski fanned eight batters and surrendered one walk in 123 pitches. The victory was NIU’s second-straight win via...

With two outs and the winning run on first base for Northern Illinois (9-28-1, 5-9 MAC), following a two run top of the ninth for Central Michigan (25-14, 12-2 MAC), the Huskies were unable to clear the bases as they fell to the Chippewas, 5-3. Senior Connor Schomig (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale South) went 3-for-5 at the...

Against arguably the top Major League League Baseball pitching prospect in the Mid-American Conference – Jordan Foley – the NIU Huskies (9-27-1, 5-8 MAC) outhit Central Michigan (25-14, 11-2 MAC), 7-6, but fell one run short as Northern Illinois dropped game one of the series, 3-2. NIU starting pitcher Anthony Andres (Western Springs, Ill./St. Rita) threw...

The NIU Huskies (9-25-1) played two tight games Wednesday night in Peoria’s Dozer Park versus Bradley (20-13) as the Huskies dropped both games in its doubleheader, 3-0, 7-5. Sophomore Justin Fletcher (Pekin, Ill./Illinois Central) finished the games 2-for-6 with an RBI and a double. Relief pitcher Andrew Frankenreider (Peoria, Ill./Dunlap) pitched one inning in game...

In search of of its first series sweep of the season, the Northern Illinois baseball team (9-23-1, 5-7 MAC) gained a 3-1 lead after the first inning at Eastern Michigan (12-21, 2-10 MAC). However, three runs in the fourth and four in the sixth cost the Huskies their lead at Oestrike Field as they fell...

Northern Illinois baseball (5-21-1, 2-6 MAC) started slow against Toledo (12-15, 4-3 MAC) in its first two games at the Ralph McKinzie Field, mounting two late rallies on the Rockets. A pinch-hit grand slam by Micah McCulloch (Rochelle, Ill./Rochelle Township) in game one and a four run seventh in game two opened the door for...