KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan baseball team got 7.0 shutout innings out of star pitcher Keegan Akin Friday afternoon, but Northern Illinois led a late charge in the ninth inning and came back to upset the Broncos 5-2 at Hyames Field.

The Broncos fall to 8-22 overall and 1-6 in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) while the Huskies improved to 11-22 and 6-4 in the MAC.

The game went scoreless until the fifth inning, as both team's aces hit the mound for their respective teams. Akin threw 7.0 innings allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out six batters. NIU's William Anderson pitched 8.0 innings allowing two runs on six hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, junior Grant Miller was hit by a pitch with two outs. Junior Evan Nelson came up next and drilled a two-run home run down the right field line to make it 2-0 WMU. Nelson finished 3-for-4 with two RBI and has now gone 7-for-9 with two doubles, a home run and four RBI in the last two games.

The game stayed at 2-0 until the top of the ninth inning where the Huskies bats finally got going. They scored five runs on five hits (all singles) and two walks. The tying run came in on a bases loaded walk and the go-ahead run came in on a single through the right side.

Hits went even at 7 apiece while the Huskies went 4-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Along with Nelson's second straight big day at the plate, sophomore Tanner Allison went 2-for-4 and each Miller and senior Mitchell Ho each had a hit on the day.

The two teams square off again on Saturday, April 16 at Hyames Field with first pitch coming at 1 p.m. as freshman Jack Szott will take the mound for the Broncos. Follow the Broncos on Twitter @WMUBaseball for all updates about the team!