GALLERY: Baseball opens up Kent State home series with a 7-inning win

Jayce Pendergrass

NIU baseball senior second baseman Cole Smith (left) lays down the tag at second base to cut off Kent State University’s redshirt freshman catcher Nolan Belcher for the out on Friday at Ralph McKinzie Field at Walt and Janice Owens Park. After Friday’s game, NIU is tied with Ball State for third place in the Mid-American Conference standings. (Jayce Pendergrass | Northern Star)

By Jayce Pendergrass, Photojournalist

Apr 15, 2026

NIU baseball senior second baseman Cole Smith watches the pitch during his at-bat in the second inning against Kent State University on Friday at Ralph McKinzie Field at Walt and Janice Owens Park. Smith hit a three-run home run in this at-bat, extending NIU’s lead to 5-0. (Jayce Pendergrass | Northern Star) (Jayce Pendergrass)

NIU baseball senior pitcher Blake Gaskey came in to finish the game in the top of the seventh inning against Kent State University on Friday at Ralph McKinzie Field at Walt and Janice Owens Park. Gaskey entered his fourteenth game of the season and struck out in one batter in his appearance on Friday. (Jayce Pendergrass | Northern Star) (Jayce Pendergrass)

NIU baseball graduate first baseman Gavin Baldwin (33) heads back to the dugout after scoring a run in the bottom of the sixth inning to extend the NIU lead to 11-2 against Kent State University on Friday at Ralph McKinzie Field at Walt and Janice Owens Park. Baldwin scored as a result of junior right fielder Marcus Romero’s walk. (Jayce Pendergrass | Northern Star) (Jayce Pendergrass)

NIU baseball graduate first baseman Gavin Baldwin asks the umpire for time on second base against Kent State University on Friday at Ralph McKinzie Field at Walt and Janice Owens Park. Baldwin advanced to second on an overthrow of first base during his single. (Jayce Pendergrass | Northern Star) (Jayce Pendergrass)

NIU baseball senior pitcher Max Vaisvila celebrates enthusiastically after finishing out his sixth complete inning with a strikeout against Kent State University on Friday at Ralph McKinzie Field at Walt and Janice Owens Park. Vaisvila’s eight more strikeouts on the day brought him to a season total of 59, leading the team’s strikeout count by 15. (Jayce Pendergrass | Northern Star) (Jayce Pendergrass)

NIU baseball junior right fielder Marcus Romero tracks the ball deep in right field against Kent State University on Friday at Ralph McKinzie Field at Walt and Janice Owens Park. The Huskies’ home record improved to 6-2 with the win on Friday. (Jayce Pendergrass | Northern Star) (Jayce Pendergrass)

NIU baseball junior right fielder Marcus Romero advances to third base on a passed ball against Kent State University on Friday at Ralph McKinzie Field at Walt and Janice Owens Park. Romero recorded three putouts to go along with his teammate, senior second baseman Cole Smith, tying the team with a high of three RBIs. (Jayce Pendergrass | Northern Star) (Jayce Pendergrass)

NIU baseball senior designated hitter Caden Robertson runs to first base against Kent State University on Friday at Ralph McKinzie Field at Walt and Janice Owens Park. Robertson has started all 27 games that he has played in and has the team’s highest slugging percentage. (Jayce Pendergrass | Northern Star) (Jayce Pendergrass)

NIU baseball senior third baseman Will Couchman (3) celebrates toward the dugout after one of his two singles against Kent State University on Friday at Ralph McKinzie Field at Walt and Janice Owens Park. Couchman tied two of his teammates for scoring the most runs, junior center fielder Charlie Parcell and freshman left fielder Wyatt Wawro, at 2 apiece. (Jayce Pendergrass | Northern Star) (Jayce Pendergrass)

NIU baseball junior center fielder Charlie Parcell dives back into first base on the unsuccessful pickoff attempt by Kent State University senior pitcher Ciaran Caughey on Friday at Ralph McKinzie Field at Walt and Janice Owens Park. After this weekend’s home series against Kent State University, NIU returns to action at 1 p.m. Friday at University of Akron. (Jayce Pendergrass | Northern Star) (Jayce Pendergrass)

NIU baseball junior center fielder Charlie Parcell (2) stretches to reach first base before the throw by Kent State University on Friday at Ralph McKinzie Field at Walt and Janice Owens Park. Parcell was safe for a single and finished the game with two hits and two stolen bases. (Jayce Pendergrass | Northern Star) (Jayce Pendergrass)

NIU baseball graduate first baseman Gavin Baldwin extends to field a throw to first base in the top of the first inning against Kent State University on Friday at Ralph McKinzie Field at Walt and Janice Owens Park. NIU took down the Mid-American Conference leaders in seven innings by a score of 12-2. (Jayce Pendergrass | Northern Star) (Jayce Pendergrass)

NIU baseball senior pitcher Max Vaisvila pitches in the top of the third inning against Kent State University on Friday at Ralph McKinzie Field at Walt and Janice Owens Park. Vaisvila recorded eight strikeouts, three walks, and six hits in his six innings pitched. (Jayce Pendergrass | Northern Star) (Jayce Pendergrass)

NIU baseball senior second baseman Cole Smith (1) crosses home plate from his home run hit, plating NIU’s fifth run of the game against Kent State University on Friday at Ralph McKinzie Field at Walt and Janice Owens Park. Smith finished the game with three RBIs, tying with junior right fielder Marcus Romero for the team’s high. (Jayce Pendergrass | Northern Star) (Jayce Pendergrass)

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About the Contributor

Jayce Pendergrass, Photojournalist