Eric Sansouci always has been fast.

The right fielder doesn’t hold the single-season stolen base record at his high school and St. Louis Community College at Forest Park by a fluke. But in addition to leading the charge on the basepaths for the NIU baseball team this season, Sansouci has made an impact at the plate and on the field in his first season at NIU.

With a .344 batting average, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound Sansouci is third among Huskies with at least 50 at-bats. He also has two home runs and 11 RBIs while his 31 total bases rank third.

“It’s been nice to make an impact,” Sansouci said. “I haven’t really been going for the power numbers; that has just kind of happened. I’m just trying to produce some runs and do whatever I can to help the team.”

Sansouci’s seven stolen bases are tops on NIU, and he isn’t shy about saying he wants to put his name atop the Huskies’ single-season stolen bases record. Alvin Maynard holds the mark with 41 in 1979.

“That’s what I’m shooting for,” Sansouci said. “The key to being a good basestealer is just getting a good read on the pitcher. A lot of pitchers tip off when they’re going home and when they’re throwing over.”

Count coach Ed Mathey among those impressed by Sansouci’s play.

“He brings a lot of energy to the field,” Mathey said. “He’s a good, solid defender, and he’s aggressive on the basepaths.”

In the Huskies’ home opener against Lakeland College on March 20, Sansouci showed that he can impact a game with his arm as well as his legs. On a base hit by a Lakeland batter, Sansouci made a strong one-hop throw to the plate that kept a Lakeland runner stuck at third base.

“I’ve always taken pride in defense and making an accurate throw,” Sansouci said. “It’s something I always work hard on and keep improving on.”

The Hazelwood, Mo., native has enjoyed plentiful early-season success, which he realizes is guaranteed to no one.

“You can’t slack off,” Sansouci said. “You gotta keep going hard, keep hitting the weights, stay in shape. The key is keeping your body healthy.”