CHICAGO | With its conference opener approaching, the NIU baseball team hit the road Tuesday for one more tune up.

On a cold, sunny afternoon that featured a brisk wind blowing in, NIU (8-7) launched a late-inning offensive explosion to pull away from a Chicago State (0-15) team that lived up to its pesky billing of recent years.

NIU posted an 11-1 win over the Cougars, compliments of the nine runs it scored in its last three at bats.

NIU enters Friday’s home and conference opener one game over .500. The contest primed the Huskies for MAC play, said NIU head coach Ed Mathey.

“We did some things today that I’m optimistic about,” Mathey said. “We are swinging the bats well, the running game on the bases is in order, and our pitchers are throwing the ball real well. Our guys are healthy and ready to go.”

NIU’s late game offensive outburst ensured senior Mark Badgley (1-2) his first career win as a starter. The cold air and stiff wind failed to cool off the red-hot Huskie bats, as freshman second baseman Jordin Hood belted his second home run of the season in the ninth inning, contributing three of NIU’s four runs in the frame.

“In batting practice, we were killing some balls with the swings we were putting on them,” Mathey said. “And they just went nowhere with the wind. Jordin really got a hold of it to get it over the fence.”

After being tagged with eight earned runs against Florida Atlantic, Badgley bounced back with a five-inning start in which he allowed only one run against CSU’s offensive lineup, an unearned one, at that.

“Our pitchers threw well today,” Mathey said. “With the weather and all things being considered, I thought Badge threw strikes and worked ahead.”

The NIU bullpen made the most of its final opportunity to recalibrate any flaws in its game before conference play opens, as freshman Cody Beck, sophomore Andy Deain, junior Dave Nykiel and senior Matt German all tossed scoreless innings in relief.