DeKALB — NIU baseball lost their season opener 11-7 in their first game of a four-game series Friday at Sacramento State.

Late game comeback effort

The Hornets ran away with a lead the Huskies couldn’t keep up with after the first two innings, despite a late comeback attempt from NIU. 

The score was tied 3-3 in the top of the second inning when the Huskies responded with an equal number of runs, but the Hornets swiftly struck back in the following innings.

Junior left-handed pitcher Reagan Klawiter was the starting pitcher for NIU. He was taken out at the end of the fourth inning after allowing the Hornets to earn seven runs. 

A rally in the top of the ninth from the Huskies was put to an end by Sacramento State, as NIU was only able to secure three more runs for their final score.

Sacramento State led NIU in total hits with 13, including two home runs. NIU had seven hits for the day, with two a piece for senior outfielder Matt Barnes and junior infielder Malik Peters.

Looking ahead for the weekend

The NIU baseball team now has a 0-1 record to start their 2022 season. They have three more opportunities for redemption during their weekend on the West coast in the remainder of their series against the Hornets.
The Huskies will return to the field twice at 3 and 6 p.m. CT on Saturday at Sacramento State with a doubleheader. The first game of the day will be broadcasted on ESPN3, and live stats for the matchup will be available on the Sacramento State Athletics stat broadcast website.