April 25, 2008

Box Score

WATERLOO, Iowa -

 

            Shuhei Fujiya (1-2) allowed just one hit in two innings of relief to earn his first win for the Panthers. Bryant George (1-1) was charged with the loss for SIU.

            Deric Manrique was 4-of-6 with two doubles and four runs scored, including the winning run in the bottom of the ninth. Brandon Douglas was 3-of-6 with a home run and four RBIs, and Dane Embury was 3-of-5 with three RBIs. Brett Featherston was 2-of-3 with a home run and two RBIs.

            The Panthers collected nine hits in the bottom of the first, including home runs from Brandon Douglas and Featherston, to score nine runs and build a 9-1 lead at the end of the first frame.

            Southern Illinois used three hits and three walks to put five runs on the board in the top of the second, but the Panthers answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning to give UNI a 12-6 advantage.

            UNI was held without a hit over the next four innings, allowing the Salukis to chip away at the Panther lead. SIU score one run in the third, three in the fourth and another in the sixth to pull within a run of UNI, 12-11.

            In the top of the seventh, Adam Hills singled into right, and he stole second. Mark Kelly followed with a walk, and a wild pitch gave SIU runners on second and third with nobody out. Consecutive walks to Bret Maugeri and Tyler Bullock tied the game, 12-12. A sacrifice fly into right scored Aaron Roberts, giving the Salukis their first lead since the first inning, 13-12. Jason Smith struck out Tyler Lairson, and the Saluki third baseman was also called for batter's interference as the runners tried to steal, ending the inning.

            Embury hit a leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh, but UNI was unable to send the tying run home in that inning.

            Fujiya retired the Salukis in order in the top of the eighth. Featherston led off the bottom half of that inning with a single through the ride side, and Brett Douglas followed with a single into left field. Levi Ferguson put down a pinch-hit bunt that moved both runners, and Eddie Almonte hit a ground out to second that scored Featherston and tied the game, 13-13. SIU first baseman Hills snagged a line drive off the bat of Cory Ege to end the Panther inning.

            Kelly hit a single into right with one out in the top of the ninth, but Embury was able to gun him down at second as he tried to stretch the hit into a double. Ferguson grabbed a fly ball from Maugeri off the left field wall to send the Panthers into the bottom half of the inning with the score still tied.

            Manrique led off the bottom of the ninth with a shot up the middle that ricocheted off George's foot. Embury put down a sacrifice bunt, and relief pitcher Andrew Dunn was unable to field it cleanly to give UNI runners at first and second with nobody out. Brandon Douglas singled through the left side to load the bases, and Lopez followed with a single off the centerfield wall to score Manrique and give the Panthers the 14-13 win.

            The Panthers collected 17 hits in the victory, and UNI left eight men on base. SIU tallied 13 hits and stranded 10 runners. UNI was charged with four errors, and the Salukis committed two.

            UNI and Southern Illinois will conclude the three-game series on Saturday when they will play a doubleheader starting at noon.