May 4, 2008

WICHITA, Kan. -

            The University of Northern Iowa baseball team could not hold off a Wichita State rally, falling 6-5 to the No. 8 Shockers Sunday afternoon at Eck Stadium. The Panthers built a 5-1 lead in the fifth inning and led 5-4 going into the ninth, but the Shockers scored a pair in the bottom of the ninth to come away with the win.

            Brandon Douglas was 3-of-5 for the Panthers (25-18, 11-7), and Dane Embury and Travis Hendrix were both 2-of-5 from the plate. Embury and Eddie Almonte also finished with two RBIs each.

            Joe Gonzalez (1-2) was charged with the loss. Nick Kirk pitched five innings for UNI, striking out four and giving up three earned runs on eight hits. Derek Ott pitched three hitless innings for the Panthers, striking out five in the process.

            Logan Hoch (1-1) earned the win for WSU. Ryan Jones was 3-of-5 for WSU with three RBIs, including the game-tying and game-winning runs in the bottom of the ninth.

            Wichita State (36-11, 14-4) went on the board first when they got three singles in the bottom of the first, including a two-out single by Clinton McKeever that scored Ryan Jones and gave the Shockers a 1-0 lead.

            With two men out in the top of the second, Brett Douglas and Travis Hendrix put together back-to-back singles to give the Panthers runners on the corners. Eddie Almonte hit a single into right field, and Douglas scored. Hendrix was thrown out as he tried to reach third, ending the inning in a 1-1 tie.

            Cory Ege led off the top of the fifth with a single right back to the pitcher's mound. Deric Manrique was hit by a pitch, and they both advanced on a wild pitch to give UNI runners on second and third with nobody out. Dane Embury singled through the left side to score both runners and give the Panthers a 3-1 lead. Brandon Douglas followed with a single into left to put runners on first and second. Chris Lopez grounded into a double play, moving Embury to third with two outs. Capra walked Brett Featherston, and Tyler Fleming entered the game in relief. Fleming walked Brett Douglas to load the bases. Hendrix singled into right to send Embury home and keep the bases loaded. Almonte drew a four-pitch walk, scoring Featherston and making it a 5-1 game. Kohl Nanney was brought into the game for the Shockers, and he struck out Ege to end the inning.

            Kirk struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the fifth, and he knocked down a line drive by Josh Workman. His throw to first went wide, however, and Workman reached third on the single and error. Jones singled up the middle to score Workman and cut the Panther lead to 5-2. Kirk got Andy Dirks to ground out to second to end the inning with the Panthers holding the three-run lead.

            Derek Ott entered the game in the bottom of the sixth for the Panthers. He inherited runners on first and second with nobody out, and struck out Ryan Engrav to record the first out of the inning. The runners advance on a wild pitch, but Ott struck out Tyler Weber looking. UNI elected to walk Kenny Williams, Jr., to load the bases, and Tyler Hill drew a pinch-hit walk on a full count to score a run. Workman was hit by a pitch to bring the score to 5-4. Jones flied out to left to end the inning with the Panthers holding a one-run lead.

            Joe Gonzalez entered to close the game for the Panthers in the bottom of the ninth. Brandon Douglas nearly robbed Mitch Caster of a single when he snagged a ground ball just at the edge of the outfield. Featherston could not hold on to the throw at first, though, and WSU put the tying run on base. Kevin Hall came on as a pinch runner, and Workman put down a bunt single that was paired with a Panther throwing error to give the Shockers runners on second and third with nobody out. Jones singled up the middle to score both runners and give the Shockers the 6-5 victory.

            The loss is the sixth-straight for UNI, and it drops the Panthers to three-games behind the league-leading Shockers in the Missouri Valley Conference standings. The Panthers return to action on Wednesday when they host UW-Milwaukee at 6:30 p.m.