NIU baseball’s six- game winning streak was snapped Sunday after suffering a 17-5 blowout loss to Ball State University.
“I’m really proud of them and what they have achieved on the field this season,” said NIU baseball head coach Ryan Copeland via NIU Athletics. “Senior classes nowadays in college athletics aren’t what they used to be now that we have the transfer portal. The way those guys have meshed and bonded as teammates, both on and off the field, has led to a lot of our success on the field. I can’t say enough about the type of people they are and the character they have.”
The Huskies were without its ace, senior pitcher Max Vaisvila, this weekend with freshman pitcher Mason Orton starting Sunday’s game.
Orton lasted just 0.2 innings in his first weekend start of the season, giving up five runs in the opening frame.
Ball State’s five run lead in the first inning put them up for good, as the Cardinals led for the entirety of the game.
In total, the Huskies used eight different pitchers in the loss with senior pitcher Blake Gaskey being the only arm to throw more than one inning.
Gaskey tossed a bulk of the game, throwing five innings after Orton’s early departure. The senior right-hander gave up three earned runs and struck out six Cardinals before his day was done.
“Blake competed his tail off and gave us everything he could,” said Copeland via NIU Athletics. “He’s an emotional guy and I think emotions got the best of us today.”
Senior pitcher Gavin Micklinghoff and junior pitcher RJ Bergren gave up a bulk of Ball State’s runs, as the two pitchers combined to throw one inning while giving up eight earned runs, all of which came in the top half of the ninth.
The Huskies’ offense collected just six hits and scored five runs in the ballgame, with four of the five runs coming in the eighth and ninth innings.
NIU got on the board in the first inning when junior infielder Vinny Spotafora drove in his 31st run of the season on a double play.
Senior infielder Will Couchman delivered a pinch hit home run in the eighth inning, his fourth of the year and 13th during his time at NIU.
“For Will to come off the bench and hit a home run, kind of gave us a glimmer of hope going into the ninth,” Copeland said via NIU Athletics. “That’s just what he does. He’s been a professional through and through and is ready to go when called upon.”
Freshman outfielder Wyatt Wawro drove in a pair of runs in the ninth inning, his 22nd and 23rd RBIs of his season.
Wawro’s batting average now sits at .389 after his 1/4 day at the plate which ranks fourth in the Mid-American Conference.
