NIU baseball coach Ed Mathey is ecstatic about the spring season’s possibilities after the second game in the best-of-seven NIU Cardinal and Black Fall World Series.

The series features the NIU baseball team split into two squads – the Black team and the Cardinal team.

With Mathey coaching the Black and volunteer assistant Steve Joslyn coaching the Cardinal, players are given a chance to simulate game situations before the season starts. Players are selected in a draft process.

“It’s sort of an NIU tradition,” Mathey said about the series. “Every fall, we do five-and-a-half weeks of daily practice, then we play the scrimmages. I think the competition is good for our players.”

Game one, played on Sunday, was won by the Black team 2-1. Cardinal player Matt German threw a wild pitch in the bottom of the 10th inning, sending the Black squad’s Jeremy Busch home to score the winning run.

The Cardinal team evened up the series at one game apiece on Tuesday with a 9-8 win. Illinois State University transfer Jake Blair hit a home run in the Cardinal win.

“We’re returning a good third baseman, but it’s always great to have competition,” Mathey said. “That’s how this sort of thing (scrimmage) helps.”

The series will continue with Thursday and Sunday games at 3:15 p.m. at Ralph McKinzie Field. Next Wednesday is the Huskies scout day, where scouts are encouraged to visit and view training exercises.