After NIU’s Jeff Dunaway popped up to end the fifth inning, a frustrated Mike Brown tossed his helmet on the ground as he passed the batter’s box.

Brown’s frustration seemed to express that of the whole team in NIU’s 14-5 loss to Bradley on Wednesday at Ralph McKinzie Field.

Brown advanced to second after Jeremy Busch singled with NIU (12-11) down 6-2. With two outs, Brown ran on contact, looking back to see what could have been a comeback inning quickly end.

“We need to improve in general as a team,” NIU coach Ed Mathey said. “Opportunities like today’s game are chances for players to earn playing time on the weekends. We felt today’s lineup could’ve won this game, and we could have if we played good defense.”

Bradley (13-6-1) started its offensive run in the third inning, scoring five runs on six hits. NIU didn’t play well enough defensively and gave the Braves too many chances, Mathey said.

“In the third inning, there were four or five plays we should have made defensively that really added to them extending the inning,” Mathey said. “We talk a lot about momentum, and when you can’t make plays, it affects everything else.”

NIU’s first two runs came off of a home run by Jake Blair that was hit well over the right-field fence. Blair drove in Rob Marconi, who reached base on a single.

“With two strikes, I was just looking to make contact, and he kind of hung me a slider,” Blair said. “By no means did I try to hit it out; I just swung the bat and tried to put it in play – it happened that way.”

NIU’s bats went silent again until the eighth inning, when NIU added three more runs, narrowing the score to 9-5. Bradley ended NIU’s hopes of making a ninth-inning comeback by scoring five runs in the top of the ninth.

NIU enters MAC play Friday against Ball State. Mathey said the game was in preparation for the weekend.

“We need to get over our defensive miscues, but we wanted to get our guys ready for the weekend,” Mathey said. “Some of our guys are swinging the bats pretty well; now we just have to work on defense.”