April 30, 2008

Box Score

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- -

            The University of Northern Iowa baseball team could not overcome a seven-run first inning by Iowa in a 10-6 loss to the Hawkeyes in the Corridor Classic Wednesday night at Veteran's Memorial Stadium.

            Brett Featherston and Brandon Douglas were each 2-of-5 for the Panthers (25-15). Featherston hit a solo home run, his ninth of the season, and scored two runs in the game, and Douglas hit his 21^st double of the season.

            Justin Toole was 5-of-5 from the plate for the Hawkeyes, helping Iowa accumulate 14 hits in the win.

            Iowa (17-26) used seven hits in the first inning to build its early lead, including a three-run home run from Wes Freie and an RBI triple by T.J. Cataldo.

            Brett Featherston led off the top of the second with a full-count home run over the right field wall to put the Panthers on the board. Brett Douglas, Travis Hendrix and Cory Ege drew walks to give the Panthers bases loaded with one out. Iowa was able to send the next two Panthers down in order, however, to keep the game at 7-1 in favor of Iowa.

            Deric Manrique led off the top of the fifth with a walk, and Dane Embury singled up the middle. They both advanced on a wild pitch, giving UNI runners on second and third. With one out, Chris Lopez hit a ground ball to the left side that third baseman Kevin Hoef fielded cleanly, but Manrique scored on the play to bring the score to 7-2.

            With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Freie hit an RBI single into left field to extend the Iowa lead to 8-2.

            Iowa used three hits in the bottom of the seventh to tack on another pair of runs and take a 10-2 lead.

            Brandon Douglas hit a bloop single into shallow right in the top of the eighth, and Featherston followed with a one-out single down the right-field line to give UNI runners at the corners. Brett Douglas singled up the middle to score Brandon Douglas and cut the Panther deficit to 10-3. Hendrix singled into right to load the bases, and Almonte reached on a Hawkeye error that scored a pair of runs and brought the score to 10-5. Ege hit a ground ball up the middle that forced out Almonte at second, but Hendrix was able to cross the plate. Manrique could not reach safely on a bunt attempt to end the inning with UNI trailing 10-6.

            Zach Zirbel (2-1) was charged with the loss for UNI. Iowa's Tony Manville (1-1) earned the win.

            UNI returns to action Friday at 7 p.m. when it plays at Wichita State in the first game of a three-game series that matches up the two teams tied for first in the Missouri Valley Conference.