With the NIU baseball team’s first win in Sunday’s doubleheader, the Huskies reached 20 wins quicker than any other Huskie team since the program was reinstated in 1991.

This marks the first time the Huskies have had 20 or more wins in four consecutive seasons. NIU (21-13, 8-4 MAC), who won three of four over the weekend, is now tied for the MAC West lead with Ball State (26-11, 8-4 MAC).

“What we’re doing right now is great,” NIU second baseman Josh Owens said. “You wanna go out to the park every day and play. Everyone on our team is a hard worker and we feel that if we put it all together, we’re the best team on the field every day.”

Huskie boss Ed Mathey said before the conference season started the Huskies had to take at least three out of four each series at home for a chance at winning the conference.

The Huskies did just that when they swept a doubleheader on Sunday 2-1, 9-8 to add to a split of games from Friday and Saturday to take three of four from Bowling Green.

“I like the approach that our team is taking,” Mathey said. “They’re coming in with the mindset that we’re going to be in games and that we’re going to have to grind them out and find a way to win. The mark of a good team is that they are in games, but the mark of every good team is that they find a way to win close games.”

The Huskies won each of Sunday’s games in the final at-bat. In the first game on Sunday, right fielder Mike Santoro singled up the middle to score shortstop Joe Mazzuca and put the Huskies up 2-1.

Freshman Scott Simon had the game-winning hit in the final game of the weekend as he lined a ball down the left-field line to score center fielder Mike Brown. Simon was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and his fourth homer of the season.

On Friday, senior left-hander Mark Skrukrud went the distance in an 11-1 rout of the Falcons. Skrukrud allowed six hits and one run. He also struck out eight batters.

“Mark did an outstanding job,” Mathey said. “His stuff wasn’t as good as it has been in previous outings, but his location was great and he just knows how to pitch.”

On Friday, four Huskies had at least two hits, with center fielder Jeremy Busch going 4-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored.