Bobby Stevens set the tone for the whole weekend.

Facing Southern Illinois’ ace pitcher Cody Adams, Stevens hit a leadoff home run into left field in the first game of the three-game series.

“Bobby’s a tone-setter,” NIU head coach Ed Mathey said. “It kind of woke everyone up.”

The Huskies took two of three games from SIU, winning both Saturday’s games 3-1 and 9-4, and losing Sunday’s game 5-3.

SIU (3-4) tied up the first game in the second inning, but NIU answered with another run in the third when Jeff Thomas hit Stevens home. NIU scored an insurance run in the ninth when Justin Behm singled to right field to bring Danny Reed home from third.

With Adams, who is projected to go in the first five rounds of the MLB draft, on the mound for the Salukis, Mathey knew that runs were going to be scarce.

Mathey got exactly what he wanted in a pitching performance by Adam Holdenrid. The senior threw six strikeouts in six innings, giving up six hits and allowing one earned run. Adams struck out 10 with no walks in 6 2-3 innings, allowing two earned runs.

“Adam was outstanding,” Mathey said. “He was hitting his spots all night and had some good defense behind him.”

The Huskies (2-3) saved all the offense for the second game on Saturday.

Behind 4-2 in the fifth, NIU scored six runs in the inning, getting three runs from errors. Reed had a two-run single to hit home Stevens and Thomas.

Brandon Copp earned the win in 5 1-3 innings of work and Dave Nykiel earned the save, pitching 3 2-3 scoreless innings.

“Copp wasn’t as sharp as possible,” Mathey said. “We took advantage of opportunities.”

In the final game of the series, NIU was able get on base but unable to get runs. The Huskies left 14 stranded.

SIU went up 5-0 in part to two-run home runs – Mark Kelly in the third inning and Tyler Bullock in the fifth.

Zach Oates took the loss for NIU in his first collegiate start.

“We had chances, but we just didn’t get it done,” Mathey said. “We weren’t as opportunistic today as we were yesterday.”