“That’s baseball in the MAC,” NIU baseball coach Ed Mathey said of the Huskies playing three games on Easter weekend.

The Huskies received two Easter gifts: a 20-6 win – which sealed a sweep of Eastern Michigan – and the benefit of playing at home.

“It’d be nice to be home with our families,” NIU third baseman Rob Marconi said, “but a lot of our families are out here watching us. Easter might have been something guys think about before or after the game, but we’re here to play.”

Mostly family members made up the crowd of 149 at Ralph McKinzie Field on Sunday.

“We know and understand that playing on Easter is something we’ll have to do,” Mathey said. “We’ve had support from our families, and it always helps to be at home.”

Some families make special road trips, traveling four or five hours, NIU’s Mike Hochhauser said.

“They come and watch us play and then go out to dinner afterward,” he said. “It’s nice to have people come out to the games, but that won’t determine how we play.”