April 14, 2006
Box Score
Waterloo, Iowa -
University of Northern Iowa baseball dropped the series opener with Evansville tonight at Riverfront Stadium, 6-1. Senior right hander Zach Jevne (Decorah, Iowa/Decorah) worked 7.1 innings on the mound for UNI, striking out five Aces.
Catcher Kirk Bacsu gave Evansville an early lead in the top of the first, plating left fielder Kern Watts who had doubled to right center. Shortstop freshman Brandon Douglas (St. Charles, Iowa/I-35) dove to his right in the top of the second to end the inning, completing a 6-4 force out.
Propelled by three singles in the third inning, the Purple Aces added to their lead with one run. UNI then kicked off the bottom of the inning with back-to-back singles from sophomore Curt Bradley (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge) and junior Nick Cameron (West Des Moines, Iowa/Indian Hills/Valley), although the two were stranded after two fly outs and a strikeout by Ace Adam Rogers.
The Panther defense gave Jevne all the support he needed in the fifth inning. Center fielder Eric Hoffmann (Erskine, Minn./Iowa Central/Win-E-Mac) made an excellent catch at the wall and then after two consecutive singles and runners on the corners, UNI notched a 6-4-3 double play.
Evansville went up 3-0 in the seventh as Ryan Barrett tallied a single to center field and stole second. He later advanced home on a Watts single to left field. The Panthers gave up three more runs in the eighth inning, only one earned. Jeff Fontaine picked up two RBI with a homer to right field and Robbie Minor crossed the plate on an overthrow by catcher Nate Trumm (Worthingon, Iowa/Troy State/Dyersville-Beckman).
Bradley led off the eighth frame with a single and then sprinted home on a Cameron double to left field. Both Panthers finished 2-for-3 on the night, recording four of UNI's six hits.
Evansville starter Adam Rogers recorded his second complete game of the season. UNI back-up catcher Jason Smith (Sioux Falls, S.D./O'Gorman) took to the other side of the plate, tallying his second outing on the mound this season and striking out two Aces in the ninth inning.
The Panthers (16-18, 2-5 MVC) and Purple Aces (20-16, 5-5 MVC) continue the series tomorrow at 2 p.m.
