DeKALB | NIU baseball puts its 6-2 home record to the test this weekend.

The NIU baseball team squares off with MAC West-leading Eastern Michigan for a three-game set at Ralph McKinzie Field, starting at 3 p.m. today.

EMU (16-16, 12-1) has torn through the MAC and currently has a six-game conference winning streak. The Eagles played a grueling non-conference schedule that featured Arizona, No. 19 Tennessee, No. 4 South Carolina and No. 15 Coastal Carolina.

“It will be a battle this weekend,” NIU coach Ed Mathey said. “EMU has a lot of components. They have two veteran pitchers going [today] and Saturday, have good team speed and also have some thumpers in their lineup.”

Today, NIU (21-16, 9-6) faces the MAC Pitcher of the Week, junior right-hander Jeff Fischer (4-3, 2.88). Mathey said the 6’5″ Michigan native is “arguably the best pitcher in the league.”

After being swept at Central Michigan, Mathey has stressed to his team to not panic and to simply execute when they have their chances at the plate – on the bases and in the field.

“Our team is capable of learning from those losses,” Mathey said. “We were stung a little bit, but the lesson that came out was we need to continue to play the game the way we play it.”

Offensively, NIU will put its .287 team batting average, fourth best in the MAC, on the line against an EMU pitching staff that has allowed the fewest runs and walks of all teams in the conference.

Mathey expects tight games where the proverbial “little things” in baseball like getting a bunt down, pulling off a hit and run, and solid base running will be at a premium.

Junior starting pitcher Trevor Feeney (4-4, 4.22) takes the mound at 3 p.m. today and Brandon Copp (3-2, 5.53) will get the nod for a 1 p.m. first pitch on Saturday.

“We are going into this weekend to win a series,” Mathey said before casting an analogy that puts the conference slate in perspective. “We can’t win a series on Friday, we’ve stressed that the MAC is a nine-week season, just like a baseball game is nine innings.”