In the first home game of the baseball season, junior outfielder Daniel Jewett found himself on third base, only 90 feet away from scoring the game-winning run.

He looks at the pitcher and takes his leadoff. The batter’s swinging at the first pitch, and the ball is lifted high into mid-right field. Jewett has to make a quick decision — does he stay or does he go for the win?

Before Jewett even entered the game, the Huskies found themselves tied 2-2 going into the bottom of the eighth inning of a seven-inning doubleheader against Bradley.

Junior third baseman Jesse Seykora, riding an 11-game hitting streak, stroked a deep drive to left field that was misplayed at the wall. With Seykora standing at second base, Jewett was summoned to pinch run, a job he’s done all year.

The next batter, sophomore outfielder Jeff Thomas, was looking for the bunt. Unfortunately, so was the Bradley infield.

“They sent all the troops in as soon as the bunt started and I started running to third,” Jewett said. “So they picked it up and I was only halfway there and I was like, there’s no way I was going to make it.”

Jewett headed back to second, where there was no one to cover the bag. Thomas looked to be doubled off first, until the shortstop overthrew the first baseman, which allowed both men to advance to second and third.

After an intentional walk of senior infielder Kyle Pettengell loaded the bases, NIU coach Ed Mathey called for freshman catcher Justin Behm to pinch hit.

“Justin’s been a good hitter and has had a great approach for us,” Mathey said. “He generally gets the bat on the ball. We were just hoping that he’d drive the ball deep enough for our guy to score.”

Behm said he felt nervous going to the plate, and he swung at the first pitch he saw.

“I was thinking with the bases loaded, he didn’t want to walk me in,” Behm said. “So most likely it would be a fastball. I was trying to get the ball in the air and get the run in any way I could.”

Which brings the pressure back to Jewett. Should or should he not tag up? He looked back and asked third base coach Steve Joslyn if he was going. Joslyn sent him, Jewett got a quality jump and slid to beat the throw to the plate. Final score — NIU 3, Bradley 2.

“It’s a great feeling,” Jewett said. “It’s stuff you always dream about, scoring the winning run.”