DeKALB | The NIU baseball team battled back all weekend to defend its home turf by completing a sweep of Western Michigan Sunday.

NIU improved to 27-19 on the year and 13-8 in the MAC with 4-1, 6-5 and 10-6 wins over WMU, its second MAC sweep of the season.

“It is great to sweep at home in the MAC and it gets us back on track,” said head coach Ed Mathey on Sunday. “Our kids fought back all weekend and we did it again today by answering with six runs to take back the lead after they scored six to take the lead.”

NIU stole the win on Saturday, bouncing back from a three-run deficit and scoring four in the ninth inning. NIU led off the inning with back to back singles to left from sophomore Matt Behren and junior Tim Kamin.

Then with one out, junior Jeff Thomas muscled out a three-run homer that just barely cleared the fence in right-center that tied the game at five. The home run was Thomas’ first of the season and only second of his career.

“He left the ball up and I just swung,” Thomas said. “I’m a contact guy. It was just a great feeling.”

After the home run, sophomore Patt Minogue laid down a bunt single. Minogue’s single was followed by another single and a walk. With the bases loaded and freshman Jordin Hood at the plate, Minogue scored on the walk-off walk.

“What impresses me most with Thomas’ at bat was the previous at bat he was struck out on three change-ups. He took a fast ball for strike one and then hits the change up out. That was so nice to see,” Mathey said. “Then Pat [Minogue] made a heads-up play by bunting for a base hit and eventually scored the winning run.”

On Sunday, NIU completed the sweep by answering a six-run seventh inning from WMU with one of their own. Behren went three-for-three with three RBIs, while Thomas added his second home run of the season. Starter Mark Badgley held the Broncos scoreless for into the seventh inning and finished with 6.2 innings, eight hits and five strikeouts without allowing a walk in the no-decision.

Starter Trevor Feeney earned his fifth win of the season in Friday’s game, pitching seven innings, allowing only one run while striking out three. German notched his eleventh save on the year. Jesse Seykora went two-for-four with two RBIs in Friday’s win.