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Baseball
Panthers Fall 3-2 to Southern Illinois
May 13, 2007 PANTHERS FALL 3-2 TO SALUKIS IN GAME THREE CARBONDALE, Ill. - A bizarre eighth inning spoiled a solid effort by starter Guido Fonseca and led to a 3-2 loss for the University of Northern Iowa baseball team. The Panthers rallied in the ninth, but couldn't push across the tying run. Fonseca (West Covina, Calif.) was solid through seven-plus innings of work, but the Panther bullpen couldn't hold the tie after his exit. The junior allowed two earned runs and struck out eight, but was saddled with a no-decision. The junior starter exited with a man on and one away in the eighth in favor of Bryan Westphal (Dubuque, Iowa/Hempstead). Westphal allowed a hit to centerfield, but caught a huge break when umpires ruled the Saluki base runner missed second base on his way to third, registering the second out of the inning. A double down the left field line put runners on second and third with two away. Westphal left the game in favor of Jason Barry (Chilliwack, Canada), who allowed the go-ahead run on a wild pitch. Dane Embury (Kelowna, British Columbia/Kelowna) led off the ninth with a base hit to left and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Travis Hendrix (Sonora, Calif./Sonora). After Jordan Kraayenbrink (Decorah, Iowa/Decorah) worked a one-out walk, both runners moved up a base on a passed ball. Embury broke for home on a wild pitch, but was called out on a close play at the plate for the second out of the inning. Weih lined a shot to centerfield that was corralled by SIU centerfielder Kevin Koski for the final out of the game. Westphal took the loss for UNI. His record falls to 3-2 on the season. The Panthers fall to 21-26 overall, 6-15 in the Missouri Valley Conference. Southern Illinois clinched a spot in the MVC postseason tournament with the win. The Salukis improve 31-19 on the season, 11-10 in Valley play.
Unlike games one and two, Southern Illinois scored the first run of the game. A second-inning flare to center plated Saluki shortstop Tyler Lairson and gave SIU a 1-0 lead through two innings. The Panthers took advantage of a number of miscues by Saluki starter Jordan Powell to manufacture a pair of runs in the third and take a 2-1 lead. After Jeremy Weih (Wilton, Iowa/Wilton) was hit by an 0-2 fastball, Curt Bradley (Colombia, Mo./Rock Bridge) drew a four-pitch walk. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, and Weih scored on an RBI groundout by Deric Manrique (Sioux City, Iowa/North). Bradley moved to third on a balk and scored on an RBI groundout by Eric Hoffmann (Erskine, Minn./Win-E-Mac). Without a hit and without any Saluki errors, the Panthers plated two runs in the top of the third and took a 2-1 lead through two and a half innings. Fonseca escaped trouble in the fifth after allowing two runners to reach with just one out. Fonseca scooped up a quick grounder and threw to second to start the 1-6-3 double play that left the Salukis scoreless in the fifth and preserved the 2-1 Panther lead. The lead was lost in the following inning as the Salukis made Fonseca pay for a leadoff walk. An RBI double down the left field line scored the second Saluki run from first base and tied the game at two with six innings in the book. From there, SIU took the lead in the aforementioned eighth and held fast in the ninth for a 3-2 win. Weih led the offense with two of the offense's four hits and one of two runs. Bradley scored the other run for UNI. The Panthers meet Iowa Tuesday, May 15 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa for the Corridor Classic. First pitch is at 6:30 pm. |
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