NIU Defeats Iowa Hawkeyes 5-4

Away from the "friendly confines" of Ralph McKinzie Field, the NIU Huskies Baseball team showed the midwest it can play with the big boys. NIU went into Iowa City and defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes 5-4 in a non-conference matchup. Northern lefty Dave Reynolds (2-0) got the win, throwing five and 2/3 innings and striking out six Hawkeyes. Reynolds actually started the scoring himself, giving the Huskies the lead in the first with an RBI single. Junior Pat Minogue went 3-3 on the day, scoring one run. Leadoff man Bobby Stevens finished the day 1-4, but scored 3 of NIU's runs. The NIU Baseball team will be back in action this friday, heading to Ohio to take on MAC foe Bowling Green.



So we finally beat Iowa in something! Ever since the "soldier field showdown", I've been longing for a NIU victory over the Hawkeyes. Although football would be nice, a baseball W will hold me over until the next NIU-Iowa football showdown.




Today's trivia...what Huskie ran for 306 yards on 32 carries at Iowa in 1993?

And the answer is...LeShon Johnson! (seen with Arizona Cardinals above)

LeShon "Cowboy" Johnson, entered the Iowa game as the NCAA's leading rusher. Johnson had already racked up 85 yards on the ground by halftime. Respectable, right? Meanwhile, in the radio booth, Ed Podolak - former star Iowa halfback - said that, "LeShon Johnson is one of the three best running backs in the nation, but Tyrone Wheatley is better". Northwestern's Wheatley had rushed for 115 yards versus Iowa earlier in the season...

WELL, the "cowboy" must have been listening to the Hawkeye halftime show in the locker room, because he came out in the second half and blazed the Iowa Hawkeyes for 221 more yards on the ground, giving him 306 yards on the day, including an 81 yard touchdown run! Johnson went on to finish 6th in the Heisman voting that season!

Johnson was taken in the 3rd round by the (I just threw up in my mouth) Green Bay Packers. The cowboy ran for over 600 yards in 1996 with the Arizona Cardinals. In 1998, Johnson survived a serious bout with Lymphoma Cancer, and returned to the NFL in 1999 to start 4 games for the NY Giants.

Enough of the history lesson, For EXTRA EXTRA credit, what football conference did the Huskies play in that season?