March 17, 2008

Box Score

BRADENTON, Fla. -

            The University of Northern Iowa baseball team scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth to claim a 12-8 win over Ohio State Monday night in Bradenton, Fla. UNI tallied 16 hits in the win, and six different Panthers had two or more hits. The win is the Panthers' third straight.

            Zach Zirbel (1-0) earned the win for UNI (7-8), pitching 1.2 innings of relief without allowing a run. Eddie Almonte was 3-of-5 with four RBIs. Cory Ege finished 2-of-4 with two RBIs.

            Ohio State (7-5) came out fast, scoring five runs in the top of the first to build an early 5-0 lead. The Panthers got three runs back in the bottom half of the inning to cut the OSU lead to 5-3.

            J.B. Shuck scored on a sacrifice fly in the top of the second to add to the Buckeye lead. In the bottom half of that inning, Brandon Douglas singled to score Ege, who reached on a single. Douglas moved to second on a single from Chris Lopez and then stole second. He pulled the Panthers within a run, 6-5, when he scored on a passed ball.

            Both teams scored a run in the third to keep it at a one-run game. The Panthers took their first lead in the sixth. Travis Hendrix led off the inning with a single, and Lopez and Brett Featherston walked to load the bases. Brett Douglas singled to score Hendrix and Lopez, putting UNI in front, 8-7.

            In the top of the seventh, Michael Arp drew a walk and Cory Rupert doubled to bring him home and tie the game at 8-8.

            The Panthers loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the eighth. Almonte doubled to score Featherston and Lopez. After Deric Manrique was intentionally walked to reload the bases, Ege doubled to send home Brett Douglas and Almonte. The Panthers left the bases loaded in the inning, but the 12-8 lead was enough for the win.

            UNI returns to action on Tuesday when it plays Central Connecticut State at 6:30 p.m.