Even with the NIU baseball team’s record at 0-14, the last thing the Huskies’ head coach Joe “Spanky” McFarland has to worry about is his players’ confidence level heading into Monday’s doubleheader home opener against Chicago State.

“I know we can definitely play with these (CSU’s) guys,” outfielder John Johnson said. “But you never can say for sure that you’ll win.”

Johnson may not be able to say it, but his teammates can.

“We’re confident we can win,” Monday’s first game starting pitcher Paul Schimbke said. “I’m going to make sure (we do).”

“We’ll win tomorrow,” pitcher Josh Brown said on Sunday. “I guarantee it.”

Hopefully for Joe Namath, Her, Brown, Monday night won’t find him with his foot in his mouth after two more Huskie losses. But Brown’s bold prognostication isn’t made without reasonings.

In the first game of a March 21 doubleheader against Monday’s foe, NIU led 3-2 after five innings. The Huskies eventually went on to lose that game 4-3, but confidence was gained.

“We stuck with them,” Schimbke said.

Schimbke also said that because Monday’s games are the team’s first home games of the year, and because the games are televised, the Huskies will be trying extra hard for their first win. The games will be broadcast on SportsChannel Monday at 7:30 p.m.

“We’re really going to be psyched up, with it being our first home games and because we’re on TV,” Schimbke said.