At about the same age most kids pick up a baseball bat, they begin dreaming of playing for their favorite big league ball club.

Wednesday night, NIU players came close to living that dream when they played Notre Dame at U.S. Cellular Field – home of the Chicago White Sox.

“It’s something you always dreamed about,” NIU designated hitter Matt Behm said. “To play in a stadium like that is an experience not a lot of people get to have.”

Despite NIU losing the game 5-4, both teams consider it a win with all the proceeds going to the Feb. 14. Student Scholarship Fund.

The game had all the makings of playing in the big leagues. A video montage started the action. Pictures and replays were shown on the scoreboard just like an MLB game and a boisterous crowd of 4,600 cheered the Huskies from first pitch to final out. The attendance also broke an NIU single-game record of 4,304 that was set in 2005 at Nebraska.

“The fan support was just great,” NIU first basemen Dave Reynolds said. “I had goosebumps going out there on the field; it was great support.”

While the game was highly anticipated by the Huskies, there were some players who came out a bit nervous.

One of those players was starting pitcher Matt Jernstad. According to the senior, the butterflies were there before the first pitch. During the game, however, the southpaw came out and pitched a perfect 1-2-3 inning.

“The fans really got the adrenaline going; it was like a major league game,” he said. “All day before the game I was nervous, but the fans make you focus a lot more.”

The game was extra special for Jernstad who, along with many other Huskies, is a White Sox fan.

“I appreciate it a lot more being a fan,” Jernstad said. “I grew up watching them and now I was able to pitch on the same mound as Mark Buehrle.”

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