April 20, 2008

Box Score

WATERLOO, Iowa -

            The University of Northern Iowa baseball team was able to hold on for a 9-7 win over Creighton Sunday afternoon at Riverfront Stadium, giving the Panthers' the series win over the Bluejays. The Panthers led 9-2 after six innings, and held on for the win after a late rally by Creighton. It marks the fourth-straight Missouri Valley Conference series win for UNI, and keeps the Panthers at the top of the MVC standings.

            Nick Kirk, making his first start for the Panthers since April 4, earned the win for UNI after throwing five innings and giving up just two runs. Joe Gonzalez earned the save for UNI, his seventh of the season.

            Dane Embury was 2-of-4 with a double, three RBIs and two runs scored.

            The game started as a pitchers' duel, and neither team scored until Creighton (25-13, 8-7) collected a run in the top of the fifth on an RBI double by Robbie Knight.

            UNI (23-11, 10-2) responded in the bottom half of the inning, starting when Levi Ferguson reached on a two-out error by the Bluejays. Deric Manrique followed with a full-count walk, and Dane Embury singled to score Ferguson from second. Brandon Douglas doubled down the left field line to score both Manrique and Embury and put UNI in the lead, 3-1.

            Creighton got one of those runs back in the top of the sixth to cut the Panther advantage to 3-2.

            With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Brett Douglas, Travis Hendrix and Eddie Almonte hit consecutive singles to add a run. Ferguson reached on a squeeze play that scored Hendrix and put the Panther lead at 5-2. Manrique was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Embury doubled to left to score Almonte and Ferguson. Brandon Douglas hit a sacrifice fly to score Manrique, and Embury later scored on a wild pitch to cap a six-run inning that put the Panthers in front, 9-2.

            Knight doubled in the top of the seventh, and he scored on a single by Darin Ruf. Steve Winkelmann hit a two-run home run to pull the Bluejays within four, 9-5.

            The Bluejays made a final push in the top of the ninth. Winkelmann hit a solo home run with one out, and Nick Nordgren hit a two-out double to keep Creighton alive. Tony Pechek doubled to score Nordgren, and a walk to Brandon Knox brought the go-ahead run to the plate. Gonzalez was able to handle a line drive off the bat of Elliot Soto to seal the win for UNI.

            The win is the Panthers' ninth in the last 10 games. UNI will resume its homestand when it hosts Clarke on Tuesday at 6 p.m.