Feb. 28, 2008

Box Score

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -

            The University of Northern Iowa baseball team pounded out 20 hits in a 14-1 win in eight innings at Arkansas-Little Rock Thursday night. Eight players collected hits for UNI in the win, and the Panthers combined to hit .476 in the game.

            Nick Kirk (1-1) earned the win for the Panthers (2-3), giving up six hits and one run in seven innings of work. Zach Zirbel pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the Panthers.

            Brett Douglas finished 4-of-5 from the plate with a home run, 5 RBIs and three runs scored. Brandon Douglas and Levi Ferguson were each 3-of-6 on the game.

            UALR (0-5) went on the board first after Brad Swiderski hit a two-out double and T.J. King singled through the right side to send him home in the bottom of the second.

            Chris Lopez doubled in the top of the fourth to score Brandon Douglas, who had reached on a fielder's choice. Brett Douglas followed with a single that scored Lopez, giving the Panthers a 2-1 lead.

            The Panthers scored another pair of runs in the top of the fifth. Travis Hendrix singled then moved to second on a balk. He advanced to third on a single from Levi Ferguson and scored on a sacrifice bunt from Matt Davis. Brandon Douglas doubled down the right field line to score Ferguson and put the Panthers in front 4-1.

            Brett Douglas led off the top of the sixth with a double, and he moved to third when Brett Featherston and Dane Embury were both hit by pitches. Eddie Almonte hit a sacrifice fly to score Douglas and give UNI a 5-1 lead.

            In the top of the seventh, Matt Davis reached on an error and scored on a two-out single by Brett Douglas. Embury singled to score Douglas. Featherston singled and Eddie Almonte was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Travis Hendrix was hit by a pitch to send Embury home and give UNI an 8-1 lead.

            Cory Ege led off the top of the eighth with a triple to notch his first career hit with the Panthers. Brandon Douglas singled to score Ege, and Lopez followed with a single. Brett Douglas hit a three-run home run to put the Panthers in front, 12-1. Embury followed with a single into left, and Featherston hit a home run to give UNI a 14-1 lead.

            The Panthers and Trojans will continue the four-game series tomorrow at 3 p.m.