Mid-American Conference

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - NIU baseball (3-0) completed its first opening weekend sweep for the program since 2001 on Sunday, rallying back from a 3-0 deficit to defeat South Dakota State, 9-6. The Huskies recorded a weekend best 15 hits in the game.

Jason Gasser (Dyer, Ind./Mt. Carmel) and Nate Ruzich (Joliet, Ill./South Suburban College) finished the game with three RBI as Gasser hit a three-run double and Ruzich hit a game-tying home run in the fourth inning. Johnny Zubek (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) drove home two runs in the game.

Freshman Kevin Jones (Chesterton, Ind./Portage) picked up the victory in relief, tossing 1.2 innings. Making his first career appearance, the freshman struck out two and allowed only one hit.

"It was a tremendous job by our entire team this weekend. We battled in some very tough conditions today but our guys never gave up. You have to learn how to win tight games and play from behind and we did both today," said Head Coach Mike Kunigonis.

"Offensively we grinded it out again. It was impressive to see us score 34 runs this weekend with temperatures below freezing all weekend. On the mound we battled and showed our toughness. Our pitching staff really impressed me this weekend with their determination and poise," Kunigonis added.

The Jackrabbits jumped on the board first as they scored in the second frame off starting pitcher Ryan Olson (Sterling, Ill./Newman Central Catholic). SDSU would tack on two more runs from Olson, scoring in the third and fourth innings. Two of Olson's three runs were earned in the ball game. He fanned two batters while only walking one in 4.1 innings of work. He surrendered six hits.

NIU landed a counterpunch on the Jacks in the bottom of the fourth inning as Micah McCulloch (Rochelle, Ill./Rochelle Township) and Stephen Letz (Dyer, Ind./South Suburban College) both reached base with one out.

Ruzich, who's missed the last 18-months with the Huskies recovering from injury, stepped up to the plate with two outs for NIU. On a 1-1 pitch, the senior pulled the ball over the left field fence to tie the game with a three-run blast, his first hit of the season.

Things heated up in the sixth inning as South Dakota State scored one run in the top of the frame as it loaded the bases and scored a run on a wild pitch by Jones to reclaim the lead, 4-3.

NIU again countered as McCulloch was hit by a pitch and Letz singled through the left side. Freshman Brad Wood (Orland Park, Ill./St. Bonaventure) loaded the bases with a single, followed by Ruzich's run scoring error that scratched McCulloch home. Zubek's sacrifice fly scored Letz from third as the Huskies jumped back on top of the Jacks, 5-4.

The Huskies extended their lead in the eighth inning as it dinged SDSU for four more runs as Zubek singled and Gasser cleared the bases with a double to increase NIU's lead, 9-4.

The Jacks attempted a rally in the top of the ninth, scoring two more runs but sophomore Andrew Frankenreider (Peoria, Ill./Dunlap) finished the inning strong with a strikeout and groundout to clinch the NIU weekend sweep.

Five Huskies accounted for two hits in the game, including freshman Joe Jumonville (Munster, Ind./Munster) who made his first career start in left field. Letz, Ruzich, Justin Fletcher (Pekin, Ill./Illinois Central) and Brian Sisler (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb) also had two hits.

NIU will return to action next weekend with a four-game series at Texas Tech. The Brooks Wallace Memorial Series will begin Friday at 2 p.m. Central.

GREENVILLE, S.C. – A strong outing by senior starting pitcher Pat Dyer kept the Furman offense at bay while junior outfielder Kris Simonton went 3-for-4 at the plate to fuel the Zips' offensive effort as they took the three-game series with an 11-3 victory over the Paladins at Latham Stadium on Sunday.

"It was a very good weekend for us overall, both offensively and defensively. We were aggressive at the plate and ran the bases extremely well. We kept pressure on their defense by placing runners in scoring position," said head coach Rick Rembielak. "Our starters gave us great outings and we generated a lot of runs for them."

On the offensive end, Simonton posted a pair of RBI and clubbed a team-high three hits. He crossed the plate twice for Akron.

Sophomore infielder Dom Iero also recorded two RBI on Sunday afternoon for a team-high total of six RBI throughout the weekend. Iero went 6-for-13 at the plate to open the season with a .462 batting average while also posting a home run, a stolen base and three runs scored in the series.

Joining the duo with two RBI in the series finale was junior designated hitter Daulton Mosbarger who laced a two-run homer in the seventh inning and posted three runs scored in the contest.

The Zips out-hit the Paladins 9-4 on Sunday and 32-23 overall in the three-game series. Akron was advantageous at the plate, as it batted .302 (13-of-43) with runners in scoring position and .375 (3-of-8) with the bases loaded.

Dyer (1-0) silenced Furman's bats through his first three innings on the mound, retiring the Paladins in order twice in that span.

The southpaw picked up the win after working six innings with Furman managing just two hits and two runs, all coming in the fourth inning. Dyer fanned six batters and walked one while receiving plenty of run support from the Zips' explosive offense as it scored early and often.

"We had a very good outing by Dyer. He looked sharp with all his pitches and he stayed in command," said Rembielak. "We also put together a lot of quality at bats, with a big day from Simonton."

Akron led off the second inning with three-straight hits, including an RBI double from sophomore catcher Brian Lees. Sophomore infielder James Meeker III followed with a ground-out RBI and sophomore outfielder Anthony Bova recorded a run-scoring bunt to put Akron ahead 3-0.

After senior outfielder Joey Havrilak drew a walk and stole second to advance into scoring position, Simonton batted him home on a single through the right side for a 4-0 lead in the third frame.

Furman closed in on the Zips, making it 4-2 in the fourth inning after the Paladins' Chris Ohmstede snuck a two-run homer over the left-field fence.

Akron quickly escaped the two-run game, forcing two Furman fielding errors to plate three runs in the top of the fifth and put the game out of reach as the Zips would go on to add two runs in both the sixth and seventh inning.

Junior reliever Zach Beaver finished things off on the mound, keeping the Paladins hitless while recording two strikeouts and a walk in two innings pitched.

The Zips return to action when they travel to take on Charlotte in a four-game series beginning on Friday, Feb. 20 at 4 p.m.

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Morgan Oliver homered and Logan Regnier doubled and tripled to back freshman right-hander Pat Leatherman Sunday as the Central Michigan baseball team closed its season-opening weekend with a 5-2 win over Florida Gulf Coast.

The Chippewas took three of four games from the Eagles. CMU (3-1) returns to Florida next weekend for a four-game set with Stetson (1-2) in Deland.

Leatherman, pitching his first collegiate game, threw 95 pitches over six innings, striking out four, walking two and allowing three hits. Just one of the two runs he allowed was earned.

"He had good presence, good poise and really executed the game plan," CMU coach Steve Jaksa said. "That was a good first start for him being able to pitch six innings and he did a real nice job."

Regnier doubled and tripled and drove in a run to lead CMU at the plate, while Oliver hit a solo homer to left field in the fourth inning, upping CMU's lead to 3-1.

Gulf Coast (1-3) cut its deficit to 3-2 with a run in the fifth. The Chippewas added a pair of insurance runs in the ninth on an RBI double by Regnier and a sacrifice fly by freshman Zach McKinstry.

Jimmy McNamara set the Eagles down in order in the seventh and Jason Gamble worked the eighth, allowing a leadoff single but no more, for the Chippewas. Freshman Braxton Markle induced a game-ending double-play grounder for his first save.

"Our pitchers coming out of the bullpen after Leatherman got it done," Jaksa said. "They did well with their holds today and they threw the ball nicely. It was a one-run game until those two (runs) in the top of the ninth."

It was quite an opening weekend for Regnier, a junior outfielder. He had five hits including three triples and a double, drove in six runs, stole two bases, and finished the four games with 12 total bases.

Regnier's two-run triple was the difference in CMU's 2-0 win on Friday. On Saturday, he smacked a two-run triple with two out in the ninth inning to tie the game and send it to extra innings, where he scored the winning run on a wild pitch in the 12th inning.

TUCSON, Ariz. (EMUEagles.com) – Eastern Michigan University's baseball team took the field in its final contest of a three-game set at the University of Arizona Sunday, Feb. 15. The Eagles (0-3) were unable to secure a victory in the season opening series with the Wildcats (0-3) as EMU saw itself on the wrong side of a 6-2 decision at Hi Corbett Field on Sunday afternoon.

Offensively, the Green and White was led by John Rubino (Scottsdale, Ariz.-Horizon) who strung a pair of hits together, scoring a run from the leadoff spot, while Mitchell McGeein (Calgary, Alberta-Vauxhall) hit a long ball to score one of the Eagles' two runs and Jordan Peterson (Gilbert, Ariz.-Highland (Chandler-Gilbert C.C.)) had the other RBI. Eastern managed just three hits, while Arizona scored six runs on nine hits in the series finally.

Jake Andrews (Chandler, Ariz.-Hamilton (Mesa C.C.)) (0-1) was saddled with the loss after pitching 5.2 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and striking out four. It was the Eagles' defense that proved to be the difference in the game as the senior right-hander did not allow an earned run in his first start of the year. Michael Marsinek (Streetboro, Ohio-Walsh Jesuit) and Sam Delaplane (San Jose, Calif.-Leigh) each entered the game for EMU. Marsinek tossed 1.1 innings and allowed one earned run, while Delaplane went a single inning, giving an unearned run on one hit. Tyger Talley (1-0) picked up the victory for the Wildcats, going 7.1 strong innings, allowed just two runs on three hits. Talley struck out nine Eagles in his first win. Bobby Dalbec picked up his first save of the season when he tossed 1.2 hitless innings.

Arizona struck first when Tyler Krause hit a two-out double down the left field line before a Brennan Williams (Commerce Township, Mich.-Walled Lake Northern) fielding error allowed Krause to round third base and score from second base, giving the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.

In the ensuing inning, the Eagles fought back, knotting things up when McGeein recorded his first home run of the season, sending a pitch from Talley over the left field fence to tie the game at one run apiece.

EMU took a one-run lead in the third. Rubino led off the frame with a single into center field before stealing second during the next at-bat. John Montgomery (Anaheim Hills, Calif.-JSerra) advanced Rubino to third when he flew out to left center field. Peterson stepped to the plate and hit a grounder toward third and Rubino took off, scoring the Green and White's final run of the day.

Following the top of the third, there was a lull in scoring until the bottom of the eighth when Arizona rattled off three runs. Kevin Newman led off the inning with a bunt single before moving up to second on a throwing error by Andrews. Krause then put Newman on third with a sacrifice bunt which he reached base due to a fielder's choice before a second throwing error by Andrews allowed Newman to cross the plate to tie the game at two. In the ensuing at-bat Kraus stole third base then scored on a J.J. Matijevic groundout, giving the Wildcats a 3-2 lead. Later in the inning, Dalbec ripped a double and later scored on a Michael Hoard pinch-hit single, putting UA up 4-2. Arizona tacked on two more runs in the eighth before holding the Eagles scoreless in the ninth and came away with a 6-2 victory to complete the sweep of EMU.

The Green and White return to the diamond Friday, Feb. 20, when it travels to Saint Mary's (Calif.) for the first of a four-game set in Moraga, Calif. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. (PT).

BOILING SPRINGS, NC - Despite holding the early 3-0 lead on the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs on Sunday afternoon, the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York baseball team (0-3, 0-0 MAC) fell on the road by the score of 6-3.

UB jumped on the Bulldogs in the second inning as transfer Bobby Sheppard started the inning off with a single to right field. Chris Kwitzer then reached on an error by the second baseman and the Bulls were in business with two on and one out. Starting catcher Kyle Brennan came to the plate and knocked in Sheppard from second base on a single to left field and then freshman Mitchell Machi backed that up with a RBI single of his own to left field, earning his first collegiate RBI. After a line out, junior Nick Sinay produced the third run of the inning for UB as he poked a shot into right field, scoring Brennan.

After a pair of 1-2-3 innings to open the game, starting pitcher Brent Cleland gave up an inning starting triple to the Bulldogs. The righty however, responded with back-to-back strikeouts and a ground out to end the threat in the third. In the fourth, Gardner-Webb finally got on the board as Ryan Hodge connected on a solo homerun to right field, making the score 3-1 in favor of the Bulls.

Cleland got back on track in the fifth inning as he struck out two batters and forced a ground ball to enter the sixth. Unfortunetly for the righty, the Bulldogs bats got hot in the sixth and chased him from the game as Anthony Magovney came in relief. Magovney was able to force a quick ground ball out but then gave up a two-run single to Matt Simmons and a two-run homerun to Sam Fulginiti to give the Bulldogs the 5-3 lead.

After Gardner-Webb added an insurance run in the eighth inning off of sophomore Mike Kealin, the Bulls threatened in the top half of the ninth inning in their final at bats. Brian Dudek smacked his first hit of the game, a single, into right field and then speedster Sinay earned a bunt single to second base. A Tanner Robinson fly out meant UB was down to their final out. Mike Abrunzo worked a walk to load the bases for the Bulls with sophomore Vinny Mallaro at the plate. Mallaro took a called strike three on the fifth pitch of the at bat to end the threat and hand UB their third straight defeat.

Cleland finished his afternoon allowing three hits and striking out seven batters in 5.2 innings. At the plate, Sinay stayed hot as he finished 2-for-4 on the afternoon with a RBI and a hit by pitch. Brennan and Machi each collected their first RBI's of the season in the loss.

The Bulls will return to the diamond on Friday, February 20 as they head to VMI for a double header against Maryland-Eastern Shore and the host VMI Keydets.