BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Offensive woes from last weekend carried into Friday's doubleheader against Northern Illinois as the CSUB baseball team fell 6-4 and 6-2 to the Huskies at Hardt Field.
The Roadrunners (5-4) had seven hits in the opening game, and were held to just one through the first seven innings of the second game, before finishing with four. The Huskies (2-6), meanwhile, were productive at the plate, using 10 hits for six runs in the opener and eight hits for six runs in the nightcap.
In the first game, Northern Illinois took the lead in the top of the first with a two-out homer to left by Jordin Hood. Bakersfield responded in the bottom of the second with a two-out two-RBI triple to left-center by JJ Henry. Mick Gaston, who reached on a walk, and Garrett Branske, who singled, both scored on the play.
In the fifth, Henry singled to right, Joey Mills beat out a bunt single to first and Brandon Boren was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Kyle Richardson's sacrifice fly to the shortstop sent Henry across home plate for a 3-1 advantage. But a strikeout and fly out ended the inning before the Roadrunners could add to the lead.
Northern Illinois tied the game with a pair of unearned runs in the sixth when Alex Beckman and Joe Etcheverry moved into scoring position on a pair of passed balls and Joe Buonavolanto's two-out double down the right field line sent them home. The Huskies took the lead with a run scored on a sacrifice fly in the seventh. They pushed the lead to 6-3 in the top of the ninth with a sacrifice fly and a run scored on a passed ball.
Bakersfield rallied for one run in the final half inning, a bases-loaded walk drawn by Martin Medina, but could not complete the comeback as Jason Kudlock flied out the left to end the game.
Spenser Messmore (0-2) took the loss for Bakersfield. The sophomore entered the game in the seventh with the score tied and gave up three hits for three runs in two innings. Starter Mickey Jannis struck out seven and scattered seven hits for one earned run in six innings.
After three scoreless innings for both sides in game two, Northern Illinois exploded for five runs in the top of the fourth, added one more in the sixth and held off a ninth-inning Roadrunner rally to complete the day's sweep. The Huskies strung together five hits, capped by a two-run home run by Jake Hermsen, in taking the 5-0 lead.
Bakersfield starter Jonathan Montoya (1-1) fanned five, but gave up seven hits for six runs in five innings. Relievers Matt Reyes, Brandon Van Dam and Erik Draxton kept the Huskies off the board in the final four innings, combining for three strikeouts and one hit allowed.
The Roadrunners managed just one hit off of NIU starter Jeremy Gonzalez (1-0), who also struck out seven and walked two in seven innings.
The teams return to action Saturday at 1 p.m. at Hardt Field to conclude their three-game series. Should Saturday's game be rained out, the final game will be played Sunday at 1 p.m.
GAME ONE
Score by Innings R H E
--------------------------------------------
Northern Illinois... 100 002 102 - 6 10 0
CSU Bakersfield..... 020 010 001 - 4 7 0
--------------------------------------------
Win - LUKANEN (1-2). Loss - Messmore (0-2). Save - DEAIN (1).
LOB - NIU 11; CSUB 10. 2B - JONES(1); HOOD(1); BUONAVOLANTO(1). 3B -
Henry(1). HR - HOOD(2). HBP - HOOD; Boren; Richarson. SH - KRUPP(1). SF -
REYNOLDS(1); WHITE(1); Richarson(2). CS - JONES(1); Mills(1).
GAME TWO
Score by Innings R H E
--------------------------------------------
Northern Illinois... 000 501 000 - 6 8 1
CSU Bakersfield..... 000 000 002 - 2 4 0
--------------------------------------------
Win - GONZALES (1-0). Loss - Montoya (1-1). Save - None.
E - SANCHEZ(1). LOB - NIU 2; CSUB 8. 2B - ETCHEVERRY,J(2); SANCHEZ(1). HR -
HERMSEN(1); Medina(3). HBP - Boren. SH - BUONAVOLANTO(1). SF - Mills(1). SB
- KRUPP(4); McIntyre(2); Henry(1).
