April 23, 2008

Box Score

WATERLOO, Iowa -

            After trailing 5-1, the University of Northern Iowa baseball team brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the bottom of the eighth but was unable to catch up to in-state foe Iowa in a 5-2 loss to the Hawkeyes Wednesday night at Riverfront Stadium.

            Chris Lopez was 2-of-4 with an RBI for the Panthers (25-12). Mike O'Leary (2-3) was charged with the loss for UNI. Steve Turnbull earned the win for Iowa.  

Dane Embury reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on a passed ball in the bottom of the first. Chris Lopez singled into left to score Embury and give the Panthers an early 1-0 lead.

            Neither team scored again until the top of the fifth, when Iowa used a pair of hits and a walk to load the bases with nobody out. Caleb Curry was hit by a pitch to score a run and tie the game at 1-1. Wes Freie and Kurtis Muller hit back-to-back singles to score another three runs and give the Hawkeyes a 4-1 lead.

            Muller reached on an error in the top of the seventh, and he eventually scored on a single by T.J. Cataldo to extend the Iowa lead to 5-1.

            The Panthers started to put together a rally in the bottom of the eighth. Brandon Douglas singled, and Brett Featherston and Brett Douglas each drew walks to load the bases with one out. Travis Hendrix hit a shallow fly ball into left that the Hawkeye centerfielder could not catch, and Brandon Douglas scored to trim the Panther deficit to 5-2.  With the bases still loaded, Eddie Almonte grounded into a double play to end the Panther threat.

            Joe Gonzalez retired the Hawkeyes in order in the top of the ninth to give the Panthers a chance in the bottom half of the inning, but UNI was unable to put a runner on base in their final at-bat.

            UNI will return to action on Friday when it hosts Southern Illinois in a Missouri Valley Conference match-up. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.