Kent State 10, Northern Illinois 3
Kent State will make its third straight appearance in the MAC Championship after beating NIU 10-3 on Friday night.

NIU starter Brandon Copp gave up seven runs in the first inning, enough for the Golden Flashes to stroll to the championship game.

Justin Behm hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning, making the score 8-3 but that would be all the offense NIU could muster up.

Brad Stillings earned the win for the Golden Flashes, pitching eight innings, giving up three runs on six hits while striking out eight.

Kent State will face Eastern Michigan for the MAC Championship Saturday at 1:00 p.m. CDT.




Northern Illinois 6, Ball State 5
Danny Reed hit an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth, capping a three-run come from behind victory over Ball State 6-5.

Andy Deain picked up the victory in relief for the Huskies.

Matt Jernstad, the NIU starter, pitched seven and a third innings, giving up four runs and striking out 13 batters.

The Huskies were down 3-2 in the sixth inning when Jeff Reynolds hit a solo home run to tie it up at three.

Nate Fields for Ball State hit a solo homer in the eighth, and the Cardinals added one more insurance run, to take a 5-3 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.

Bobby Stevens hit a bloop single for the Huskies with a runner on to set-up the rally. Jordin Hood came up next and hit an two-RBI double off of the right field wall to tie the game up. After a groundout and an intentional walk, Reed hit the single to left to score Hood from third.

NIU will face Kent State tonight at 6:30 p.m. CDT in the third round of the tournament. The Huskies must beat the Flashes tonight and then again tomorrow to advance to the MAC Championship. The Golden Flashes only need one victory to advance.

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