Huskies return to Mid-Con action

By Matt Kerlin

The Huskie baseball squad will attempt to get back on track when they kick off a ten-game road trip with a three-game series at Youngstown State this weekend.

The Huskies are coming into the Mid-Con match-up sporting an 8-18-1 overall record with a 2-4 ledger in the conference.

The Penguins are coming into the series at 8-12, with a 1-3 ledger in the conference, with that win coming against Eastern Illinois.

Leading the Huskies into battle will be juniors Mike Birsa and Zach Zavac. Birsa is ranked 50th in the nation, and leads the Huskies batting .411 with 16 RBIs.

Zavac, who was a Mid-Con Player of the Week nominee last week, is leading the Huskies with 18 RBIs. Last week he knocked in eight runs in seven games and hit two triples.

The Huskies are playing just as well on the road as they do at home with a 4-9-1 standing.

“Being on the road doesn’t really bother us,” NIU manager, Joe “Spanky” McFarland said. “We spend the first month on the road, so we’re used to that.”

The two teams will meet at Pemberton Park on Saturday for a noon start doubleheader. Sunday they will play the last of the three games at noon, also.

Last year, the Huskies dropped two to the Penguins at home.

“I think our guys are excited about playing Youngstown State, and are looking for revenge,” McFarland said.

The Huskies dropped two to Illinois State on Wednesday and are having a tough time getting the bats started. NIU just needs to have a game where everything clicks, McFarland said.

“It would be definitely nice to open this road swing with some wins and get on a roll,” McFarland said.