Box Score Final Score:  Lipscomb: 8, Northern Illinois: 7
Location:  Nashville, Tenn. (Ken Dugan Field)
Records:  Lipscomb: 5-4, NIU: 0-9

THE SHORT STORY:  A late grand slam rallied Lipscomb to a 8-7 victory over Northern Illinois Friday night to kick off the weekend series at Ken Dugan Field.  
 
HOW IT HAPPENED 
 
University of Northern Illinois faced Kaleb Kantola on the mound who got his third start of the season. The Huskies put runners on the corners, but Kantola was able to strand them to keep things scoreless heading into the bottom of the first. 
 
Lipscomb jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead with a hot offensive start. John Shields led off for the Bisons and was hit by the first pitch of the inning to reach first. Trace Willhoite delivered an RBI double for a 1-0 lead before Rudy Maxwell singled through the left side for a 2-0 lead. 
 
After a scoreless second inning, the Huskies got a run back in the top of the third to cut the Lipscomb lead in half. The momentum stayed with NIU as they scored three in the top of the fifth with two outs, jumping out to a 4-2 lead. 
 
Matthew Bohnert came on in relief during the top of the sixth and was effective, stranding a couple of runners in scoring position in the sixth and he struck out the side in the top of the seventh. 
 
The Huskies' lead grew by a pair in the top of the eighth as Lipscomb fell behind 6-2 with six outs remaining. 
 
Lipscomb mounted a rally in the bottom of the eighth when Malik Williams started things off with a double and Maxwell followed it up by reaching on an error. Pinch hitter Mason Lundgrin loaded the bases when he drew a walk. The Bisons scored the first run of the inning when Ethan Stamps beat out an infield single to cut the lead 6-3. Hayden Skipper worked a bases-loaded walk to give Lipscomb another run. With the bases juiced and no outs, Shields cranked a home run over the left field fence for the grand slam and the 8-6 lead heading into the ninth inning. 
 
Trey Nordmann took over the mound to try and close it out but labored and Matthew Maldonado took over with the bases loaded and one out. Maldonado promptly struck out the first man he saw, and the Huskies were down to its last out, but NIU wasn't done and worked a bases-loaded walk to cut the Lipscomb lead to a run. Maldonado dug in and got the last man swinging to seal the Bisons' fifth win of the season. 
 
HERD NOTES

• Willhoite was the highlight of the Lipscomb offense, going 3-for-5 with an RBI. 
• Shields finished the night with a hit and four RBI. 
• Williams, Maxwell and Stamps also had multi-hit nights. 
• Bohnert improved to 2-0 on the season while Maldonado picked up his first save.

 
UP NEXT
Game two of the series against NIU is slated for Saturday, March. 5 at Ken Dugan Field for a 2 p.m. first pitch.