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Northern Star

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The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

Then-junior outfielder Eric Erato (5) waits on deck on April 7, 2023. (Tim Dodge | Northern Star)

Building a culture key for baseball ahead of 2024 season

By Zachary Bertram, Senior Sports Reporter | February 14, 2024

DeKALB – Coming off a 10-43 2023 campaign, NIU baseball looks to rebound in 2024 under new leadership. After nine years under former head coach Mike Kunigonis, Ryan Copeland is the newest head coach of the Huskies.  “Coming into a program where...

From left: Then-NIU junior catcher Colin Summerhill (8), then-junior shortstop Andre Demetral (1), then-redshirt sophomore pitcher Matt Salomonson (34), then-junior second baseman Aaron Harper (22) and then-junior first baseman Andrew Smart (27) approach the pitcher's mound early into the Huskies’ game against Ohio University on March 24. New head coach Ryan Copeland announced 13 new recruits for the 2025 season. (Tim Dodge | Northern Star)

Baseball announces 13 new recruits

By Kalin Schaefer, Sports Reporter | November 27, 2023

NIU men’s baseball head coach Ryan Copeland announced 13 new signings for the 2025 season on Friday.  Eight of the new recruits are incoming freshmen, four of whom are from Illinois.  Catcher Conner Mendell and pitcher Carter Cox will both be...

Junior catcher Colin Summerhill (left) approaches NIU Baseball Head Coach Mike Kunigonis in the dugout during the team's game against Toledo Sunday at Ralph McKinzie Field. The game was Kunigonis' last as a head coach at NIU, after his contract was not renewed and he was relieved from his position. (Sean Reed | Northern Star)

Kunigonis out as head baseball coach

By Alex Crowe, Assistant Sports Editor | May 8, 2023

DeKALB – NIU Vice President and Director of Athletics Sean Frazier announced Sunday that head coach Mike Kunigonis’ contract will not be renewed and has been relieved of coaching duties, effective immediately.  The announcement comes after the...

Huskie junior catcher and outfielder Colin Summerhill dives to third base as Rockets’s sophomore catcher Brayden White (18) catches the ball thrown to him by freshman third baseman Troy Sudbrook (10), completing a double play to get both Summerhill and Demetral. (Sean Reed | Northern Star)

Rockets rout Huskies on senior day

By Joseph Segreti, Sports Reporter | May 7, 2023

DeKALB – NIU baseball (8-38, 4-19 MAC) dropped a senior day slugfest as it closed out its final home series against the University of Toledo (23-24, 11-13 MAC) by a final score of 18-12. NIU honored seven seniors for the finale of baseball’s last...

NIU junior shortstop Andre Demetral (1) rounds to third base after stealing second base in the bottom of the first inning. Demetral scored off of a hit by junior first baseman Colin Summerhill, earning the Huskies their first run of the game and setting the score 3-1. (Mingda Wu | Northern Star)

Summerhill’s home run helps Huskies snap skid

By Zachary Bertram, Senior Sports Reporter | May 3, 2023

DeKALB – NIU baseball (8-35, 4-16 MAC) snapped its 11-game losing streak Wednesday with a 3-2 win over the University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin Panthers (20-22, 9-11 Horizon). Powered by a go-ahead home run from junior catcher and outfielder Colin Summerhill,...

NIU junior catcher Colin Summerhill (8) slides into third base after hitting a triple on Friday against Akron. (Tim Dodge | Northern Star)

Zips sweep doubleheader, series with Huskies

By Zachary Bertram, Senior Sports Reporter | April 30, 2023

DeKALB – NIU baseball (7-35, 4-16 MAC) dropped both games of a doubleheader against the University of Akron Zips (17-27, 9-15 MAC). NIU pitching continued to struggle as they lost Game 1 11-9 and lost Game 2 8-4 for its 10th and 11th consecutive losses.  GAME...

Junior infielder Andre Demetral (1) puts the tag down on a Central Michigan University player as he attempts to steal second base while junior infielder Aaron Harper (22) looks on. The Huskies were defeated by the Chippewas 17-7 on April 8. (Tim Dodge | Northern Star)

Zips slug their way to win over Huskies

By Joseph Segreti, Sports Reporter | April 28, 2023

DeKALB – NIU baseball’s (7-32, 4-13 MAC) losing streak stretched to nine games in a 19-7 slugfest loss to the University of Akron Zips (14-27, 6-15 MAC).  A rough start for junior pitcher Dominic Hann put the Huskies in an early six run hole after...

Junior infielder Andre Demetral (1) leads off first base during NIU baseball's home opener against Ohio on March 24. The Huskies lost the game by a final score of 11-2. (Tim Dodge | Northern Star)

Baseball drops eighth straight contest in loss at Illinois State

By Joseph Segreti, Sports Reporter | April 26, 2023

DeKALB – A disastrous bottom half of the third inning for the Huskies where five Illinois State runs scored and stretched their lead to 8-5 led to NIU’s eventual loss.  NIU baseball (7-32, 4-13 MAC) dropped its eighth straight matchup Wednesday,...

Senior outfielder Malik Peters jogs to the dugout during NIU baseball's home opener against Ohio on March 24. The Huskies lost the game  11-2. (Tim Dodge | Northern Star)

Flames singe Huskies in weekday matchup

By Ethan Gonzales, Former Sports Editor | April 25, 2023

DeKALB – Two home runs from the University of Illinois Chicago (17-19, 4-11 MVC) proved to be too much for the Huskies to handle as UIC defeated NIU 8-1 in a Tuesday matchup. The Huskies' loss to the Flames extended their losing streak to seven. The...

NIU junior second baseman Aaron Harper (22) retrieves the ball from his glove as a CMU runner lifts himself up from the base. (Mingda Wu | Northern Star)

Peltier mashes Cardinals to sweep over Huskies

By Alex Crowe, Assistant Sports Editor | April 23, 2023

DeKALB – Defensive miscues in the first two innings, sloppy pitching and three home runs from Cardinal graduate infielder Ryan Peltier helped the Ball State University Cardinals complete the three-game series sweep over NIU baseball Sunday in a run...

NIU junior shortstop Andre Demetral (1) rounds to third base after stealing second base in the bottom of the first inning. Demetral scored off of a hit by junior first baseman Colin Summerhill, earning the Huskies their first run of the game and setting the score 3-1. (Mingda Wu | Northern Star)

Baseball’s high-scoring comeback attempt falls short

By Alex Crowe, Assistant Sports Editor | April 19, 2023

DeKALB – Poor pitching caused NIU baseball’s (7-27, 4-10 MAC) comeback bid to fall short in a rainy, seven-inning weekday game at Ralph McKinzie Field against the Illinois State University Redbirds (11-21, 2-10 MVC) by a final score of 18-11 Wednesday.  After...

NIU then-junior first baseman Colin Summerhill (8) is declared safe after sliding into second base on a double in the bottom of the first inning on April 9, 2023. Summerhill blasted two home runs in a 13-5 loss against the University of Cincinnati on Friday. (Mingda Wu | Northern Star)

Home runs not enough, Wildcats blast Huskies

By Alex Crowe, Assistant Sports Editor | April 18, 2023

DeKALB – Home runs from senior outfielder Malik Peters, junior outfielder and catcher Colin Summerhill and junior infielder and outfielder Andrew Smart weren’t enough to stop the Northwestern University Wildcats from blowing out the Huskies by a final...