March 28, 2008

Box Score

WATERLOO, Iowa -

            University of Northern Iowa junior Nick Kirk struck out 15 on the way to pitching the first no-hitter in 13 years for the Panthers, helping UNI claim a 3-0 win over Evansville in the Panthers' Missouri Valley Conference opener Friday night at Riverfront Stadium.

            Brett Featherston and Deric Manrique each hit home runs to provide the Panthers' three runs. Manrique was 2-of-4 with two RBIs, and Dane Embury finished 3-of-4 for the Panthers. The Panthers tallied 11 hits in the win.

            Kirk (3-3) retired 10 straight batters to start the game, including a string of eight consecutive strike outs, and did not allow the Aces (2-19, 1-3) to put a man on base until Alex Acheson drew a walk in the top of the fourth. 

            The Panthers (11-9, 1-0) missed a chance to score in the bottom of the third when they loaded the bases with nobody out. McCarthy was able to strike out Chris Lopez, and Brett Featherston hit into a double play to end the inning without a run scored for UNI.

            Featherston broke the 0-0 tie in the bottom of the sixth, hitting a one-out solo home run over the right field wall to give UNI a 1-0 lead.

            Cory Ege reached on an infield single in the bottom of the seventh, and Deric Manrique followed with a two-run shot to left center that gave the Panthers the 3-0 advantage.

            Kirk retired the final six batters in order, four on strikeouts, to secure the win for the Panthers.

            Only two Aces reached base in the game, Acheson on the walk and Shawn Kuester reached on an error. It was the first no-hitter for a UNI pitcher since Jeff Johannsen no-hit Missouri Western on March 4, 1995. Kirk's 15 strikeouts represent a new career high for the junior left-hander.

            The Panthers and Aces will conclude the three-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 1 p.m.