The NIU baseball team opened its home slate with a doubleheader sweep of Bradley.

NIU went into an extra inning to win game one 3-2 and took game two 5-3.

NIU (9-13, 2-1) has won four straight games.

“Our goal is to start our way back to .500,” junior second baseman Marc Besteman said. “It is important to take care of business in the mid-week games, and open the home portion of our schedule with two wins.”

NIU held a 2-1 lead in game one until the top of the sixth. Freshman shortstop Colby Luttrell lofted a bloop single to shallow left field, and was moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by junior right fielder Brad Jones.

Junior second baseman Ryan Curry tied the game 2-2 when he lined a two-out RBI double down the right field line and chased NIU starter Matt Jernstad from the game.

Jernstad went five and two-thirds innings, allowed three hits and two earned runs.

Jones picked up an infield single with two outs in the eighth, and promptly stole second base. Junior reliever Matt German came out of the bullpen for NIU and struck out Bradley (9-11, 2-1 MVC) pinch hitter John Lequia looking.

Jesse Seykora, who extended his hit streak to 11 games, led off the bottom of the eighth with a double. A nerve-wracking sacrifice bunt by sophomore left fielder Jeff Thomas went awry with errors for Bradley and loaded the bases for NIU.

A Justin Behm sacrifice fly that scored pinch runner junior-transfer student Daniel Jewett proved to be the game winner.

German picked up his first win of the season.

In game two, freshman center fielder Pat Minogue led off the bottom of the first with a double, moved to third on a throwing error and scored on a sacrifice fly by junior first baseman Scott Simon.

Simon said it is nice to finally play some home games.

“It is awesome to be back and wake up in your own bed,” Simon said. “Winning the first two games at home sets the tone for how we want to play this year.”

Bradley took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth on a two RBI single by Ryan Eigsti.

A pair of runs scored by freshman shortstop Bobby Stevens, and Besteman gave NIU a 3-2 lead.

Four newcomers to NIU provided insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth.

The bases were loaded when Jewett led the inning off with a walk, freshman Mike Couwenhoven singled and Stevens walked.

On a 3-1 pitch Minogue roped a line drive to right-center field for 2 RBIs.

“In the college game you can never have too many runs,” NIU coach Ed Mathey said. “Pat had a good 2-0 count and waited until he got the pitch he was looking for, it turned out those runs were huge for us.”

A Bradley rally in the top of the seventh fell short, as German picked up his fourth save of the season.

“It is great to come home and get fan support; it’s nice to have the hecklers on our side finally,” senior outfielder Brian Toner said. “To win two games against a good team like Bradley is a great start to the week. We want to carry this momentum into Akron this weekend.”