May 7, 2008

Box Score

WATERLOO, Iowa -

            Five members of the University of Northern Iowa baseball team finished with multiple hits to help the Panthers defeat UW-Milwaukee 9-6 Wednesday night at Riverfront Stadium. UNI tallied 13 hits in the win to snap a six-game losing streak.

            Dane Embury, Brandon Douglas, Brett Featherston, Brett Douglas, and Cory Ege each finished with two hits for UNI (26-18). Brandon Douglas had a home run and a double, tying the UNI record for doubles in a season with 23. Brett Douglas finished with three RBIs.

            Tim Flattery pitched two relief innings, giving up two hits and one earned run to earn the win, moving him to 3-0 on the season. Ben McClarey was charged with the loss for UW-Milwaukee.

            UW-Milwaukee (17-31) retired the first two batters in the bottom of the first, but Brandon Douglas hit a double, Chris Lopez reached on an error and Brett Featherston walked to load the bases. Brett Douglas singled into left field to score Brandon Douglas and Lopez, and Travis Hendrix doubled into left to score Feathesrston. A single by Cory Ege sent Brett Douglas home and gave UNI a 4-0 lead at the end of one.

            Shawn Wozniak led off the top of the second with a double. He moved to third on a single from Shaun Wegner and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ben Long to put UW-Milwaukee on the board.

            UNI added another run in the bottom of the second when Dane Embury doubled and scored on a single by Lopez to put the Panthers in front 5-1.

            UW-Milwaukee used a pair of singles and a double coupled with a UNI error to score three runs in the top of the third and cut the UNI lead to 5-4.

            In the top of the fifth, Andy Gerhartz singled into left field to lead off the inning, and he stole second. He moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a single by Nick Wichser to tie the game, 5-5.

            UNI broke the tie in the bottom of the sixth, when Levi Ferguson was hit by a pitch with one out. Deric Manrique drew a walk, and Dane Embury grounded out to the pitcher, but moved the runners to second and third with two out. Brandon Douglas drew an intentional walk to load the bases, and Chris Lopez drew a full count walk to send Ferguson home and give UNI a 6-5 lead.

            UW-Milwaukee tied the game again in the top of the seventh. Jesse Hart led off the inning with a single, stole second and moved to third on a single by Wichser. Wozniak grounded into a double play, but Hart scored to make the score 6-6.

            In the bottom of the seventh, Hendrix and Ege drew one-out walks, and Almonte hit a single into left to score Hendrix and put UNI in front, 7-6.

            The Panthers got some insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth. Brandon Douglas led off the frame with a solo home run over the left center wall. Featherston doubled into right, and Brett Douglas followed with a single that scored Featherston and put UNI in front, 9-6.

            Joe Gonzalez entered the game in the top of the ninth, and he retired three straight batters to earn his eighth save of the season.

            The Panthers return to action on Friday when they play at Bradley at 7 p.m.