April 9, 2006
Box Score
Waterloo, Iowa -
Despite holding the Missouri State Bears scoreless for five innings, University of Northern Iowa baseball allowed two runs in the top of the ninth to fall 4-2 this afternoon. UNI and Missouri State both tallied 10 hits on the day.
Senior Jake Hansen (Council Bluffs, Iowa/Lewis Central) pitched six innings, striking out six Bears and walking only one. Sophomore Robert Rodriguez (Hialeah, Fla./Champagnat Catholic) picked up the loss, falling to 2-2 on the season. Matt Frevert was handed the decision for Missouri State and improved to 2-1, while Chris Krawczyk recorded his fourth save of the season.
Second baseman senior Mark Frieske (Spokane, Wash./Porterville C.C./North Central) went 3-for-5 with his fourth double of the season and center fielder freshman Deric Manrique (Sioux City, Iowa/Nebraska/North) tallied the Panthers' two RBI.
Senior Nate Trumm (Worthington, Iowa/Dyersville-Beckman) led off the bottom of the second with a singled to right field and quickly advanced to third on designated hitter Pat Moran's (Rapid City, S.D./Stevens) single to right. With two outs, an error by first baseman Tim Rafferty gave Trumm the unearned run.
The Panthers extended their lead to 2-0 in the fourth frame as Moran reached on a walk. Manrique popped one into shallow center field with two outs and a communication breakdown by the Bear defense allowed the ball to drop as Moran rounded third for home.
Missouri State tied the game, 2-2, in the sixth inning on three hits and one walk. UNI loaded the bases in the top of the seventh as Frieske singled through the left side, sophomore Brett Douglas (St. Charles, Iowa/I-35) reached on an excellent bunt to second base and sophomore Brett Featherston (Epworth, Iowa/Western Dubuque) was hit by pitcher Ross Detwiler. A failed suicide squeeze attempt and a groundout to shortstop then ended the inning.
Matt Lawson reached on a double to center field in the top of the ninth and a sacrifice bunt by Shane Elenz sent him to third. Brayden Drake recorded a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Lawson. Two consecutive wild pitches then scored Matt Weglarz who had walked.
UNI is now 16-15, 2-4 in the MVC and Missouri State improves to 18-10, 5-1 in the Valley. The Panthers host Upper Iowa Tuesday at 6 p.m. and Northern Illinois Wednesday at 6 p.m. UNI ends its 13-game home streak against Evansville Friday-Sunday.
