AKRON, Ohio (Interstat) — Caden Robertson launched two home runs, including a decisive two-run shot in a four-run seventh inning, as Northern Illinois held off a late Akron rally for an 8-6 victory in Mid-American Conference baseball Saturday at InfoCision Stadium.

The Huskies (22-11, 7-4 MAC) secured their second straight win in the series after taking the opener 10-8 on Friday. The Zips fell to 15-23 overall and 5-6 in conference play.

Northern Illinois starter Danny Cihocki earned the win with six innings of work, allowing four runs on three hits. He struck out six and walked two. All four runs against him came in the fourth inning on a two-out, three-run homer by Akron’s Easton Amundson, which followed an RBI double from Blake Bowen.

That blast cut what had been a 3-0 Huskies lead to a single run. Northern Illinois built its early advantage on a solo home run by Vinny Spotofora in the third inning and two runs in the fourth on a bases-loaded walk by Nolan Sandee and a sacrifice fly from Cooper Cohn.

The game’s pivotal sequence came in the top of the seventh. With Northern Illinois leading 4-3, Akron reliever Jeremiah Newman, who had just entered, issued a leadoff walk. After a double play, Wyatt Wawro walked to bring Robertson to the plate. The Huskies’ designated hitter then powered a two-run homer to left field, extending the lead to 6-3 and sparking a larger rally. Gavin Baldwin walked, Ivan Dahlberg was hit by a pitch, and Sandee delivered a two-run single to right, pushing the advantage to 8-3.

Robertson added his second homer, a solo shot to right-center, in the ninth inning for the final Huskies run.

Akron mounted a serious threat in the bottom of the eighth, chasing Cihocki and scoring three runs to close the gap. After two walks, Blake Gaskey relieved for Northern Illinois and immediately gave up an RBI single to Bowen and a run-scoring single to Amundson. A sacrifice fly by Mitchel Szymczak made it 8-6 with the tying runs on base, but Gaskey induced an inning-ending groundout to escape further damage.

Gaskey then retired the side in order in the ninth to seal the victory and record the save.

The Huskies outhit the Zips 10-6. Sandee finished with two hits and three RBIs, while Amundson led Akron with four RBIs on his homer and single.

Akron starter Brady Bowen took the loss, surrendering six runs on six hits over six-plus innings.

The most important part of the game was the top of the seventh inning. With Northern Illinois clinging to a one-run lead and having just hit into a double play, Robertson’s two-run homer provided critical breathing room and ignited a four-run outburst. That offensive surge transformed a narrow 4-3 margin into an 8-3 command, which proved essential in weathering Akron’s three-run rally in the subsequent inning.

The series concludes Sunday afternoon.