Midweek games are an opportunity to fine-tune things in between conference series, and the NIU baseball team looks to do just that, bouncing back from a shutout on Saturday.

The Huskies host Valparaiso today at 3 p.m. at Ralph McKinzie Field for the first of two nonconference, midweek games. NIU (10-14) is coming off a series split with Bowling Green last weekend. The Crusaders (9-12) roll into DeKalb after taking two-of-three from Milwaukee over the weekend.

Freshman Tom Barry takes the mound for the Huskies this afternoon. The Orland Park native gets his second start this year and is 1-0 with a 7.00 ERA in nine innings pitched.

“He’s out there to throw strikes and give our defense a chance,” said NIU head coach Ed Mathey. “He’s young, but he’s capable of going out there and being competitive for us.”

NIU was bested in its last time out, suffering an 8-0 loss at home. The Huskie offense could only muster three hits in the contest and batters struck out seven times.

“We obviously didn’t play to the best of our ability on Saturday,” Mathey said. “We have to get back to making good contact at the plate. We have to get into favorable counts and be patient and get our pitch to hit.”

Juniors Jordin Hood and Dave Reynolds continue to pace the Huskie offense. Hood leads the team with a .409 bating average with 22 RBI. Reynolds is riding a career-long, 19-game hitting streak in which he is batting .391 with 10 RBI.

Matt Lenski leads the Crusaders with a .407 average at the plate with 14 RBI. Josh Wallace has five home runs on the year with 17 RBI and a .317 batting average.

NIU is 12-8 overall against Valparaiso but suffered a 5-4 defeat in 2008.

“They got the best of us at their place last year, so we would like to avenge that loss,” Mathey said.