EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Northern Illinois swept a doubleheader from SIUE baseball Friday, picking up a 5-4 come-from-behind win in game one and then winning 8-4 in a seven-inning contest in game two at Roy E. Lee Field.
The Cougars fell to 2-7. Northern Illinois is now 4-4.
The Cougars scored twice in the fourth inning in game one to tie the score 2-2. Ethan Willoughby singled to drive in a run and a second run scored thanks to an error in center. Kyle Ratliff added a sacrifice fly in the eighth to give SIUE a 3-2 lead.
The Huskies scored three times in the ninth to lead 5-2 before the Cougars added a run in the ninth on a Lane Crowden double.
Freshman Tim Teixeira started and worked six innings. He allowed two runs, but struck out a career-high 10 hitters. Liam McKillop worked two scoreless innings with a strikeout. Tyler Davis (0-1) allowed three runs in the ninth and took the loss.
Willoughby finished with two hits.
Willoughby homered in the first inning of game one. NIU picked up three runs in the third and another three in the fourth to lead 6-2. Ryan Niedzwiedz walked with the bases loaded in the fourth to force home a run.
The Huskies got a run in the sixth before the Cougars scored twice in the bottom of the inning before Daniel Gierer drove home two in the bottom of the inning.
The Huskies picked up an insurance run in the seventh.
Gierer finished with two hits in the nightcap. Brady Coon (0-2) started and allowed six run in three innings. He stuck out a career-high five hitters.
The two teams will continue the series with a 1 p.m. game Saturday at Simmons Complex.
