DeKALB — The baseball team was swept in its weekend series against the Kansas Jayhawks.

NIU lost the opening contest of Friday’s doubleheader 8-1 before losing the afternoon game 7-2.Saturday the Huskies dropped a tightly-contested game 3-1, finishing the weekend winless and with a 2-9 overall record to begin the season.

Friday Morning: Jayhawks 8, Huskies 1

The Huskies were down two entering the fifth when junior catcher Jake Dunham scored NIU’s first run of the game with an RBI double to pull the Huskies closer at 2-1.

In the seventh inning, the Jayhawks flew by NIU, scoring four runs including two on a single from junior infielder Benjamin Sems.

Junior outfielder Brett Vosik sealed the win for Kansas in the eighth with an RBI double to make the final score 8-1. The RBI was Vosik’s second of the game.

NIU would be held to three hits in game one, striking out eight times. Six strikeouts came from starter junior pitcher Ryan Zeferjahn over his five innings of work.

Friday Afternoon: Jayhawks 7, Huskies 2

The Huskies’ day went from bad to worse in the second half of the doubleheader when they gave up three runs in the fourth inning on errors.

Sophomore pitcher Michael Lasiewicz commited an error on a bunt, allowing Kansas to score two runs. The Huskies followed with another error by first-year infielder Malik Peters to give up another Jayhawk run.

The Huskies were able to secure two late-game runs thanks to a pair of bases-loaded walks by the Jayhawks, bringing the final score to 7-2. Peters and junior infielder Tommy Szczasny were credited with RBIs.

Saturday: Jayhawks 3, Huskies 1

The Huskies dropped their fifth straight game Saturday, losing to the Jayhawks 3-1.

NIU’s loss came in a pitchers duel between senior Ty Jandrowski and Kansas first-year Eli Davis.

Jandrowski pitched 5 1-3 innings, giving up two runs while striking out four. Davis pitched seven innings, not allowing an earned run.

The Huskies’ only run came in the second inning when junior first baseman Jordan Larson scored following an error and a single by junior outfielder Brendan Joyce.

Kansas tied the game at one in the third. The Jayhawks took the lead in the fifth after a sophomore infielder Nolan Metcalk home run.

The Jayhawks scored again in the third on a fielder’s choice, bringing in junior infielder James Cosentino.

NIU had the chance to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth with Joyce at the plate, representing the tying run, and a runner at second. Joyce drew a full count but struckout to end the contest.

The team now returns to Illinois for a series against the Southern Illinois Salukis in Carbondale. The opening game of the series is scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday.