Purdue Fort Wayne
Indiana
'Dons Strike First, Fall to Hoosiers
3/24/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 24, 2007
Bloomington, IN - The IPFW baseball team continues to improve every time they take the field. With a squad that consists of more underclassmen than experienced players, IPFW made IU work for their 6-3 win today at Sembower Field.
In fact, IPFW jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning on back-to-back doubles by sophomore left fielder Quentin Brown and junior center fielder Jared Davis.
Mastodon junior starter Cole Uebelhor got off to a bit of a slow start in the first, walking a pair of batters before giving up an RBI double to IU designated hitter Reid Briglia. Following a sacrifice fly from catcher Josh Phegley and and RBI single from third baseman Tyler Cox, IU grabbed back the lead, 3-1 after one.
Indiana (9-8) got a pair in the 4th inning to take a 5-1 lead.
But in the 6th inning, IPFW got to IU starter Tyler Tufts. Senior right fielder Nick Diem singled and moved to third following a throwing error on a fielder's choice off of the bat of freshman shortstop Ryan Beer.
Junior first baseman Nick Millspaugh walked to load the bases. Then, freshman third baseman Jason Doerffler got the big hit IPFW had been looking for all day. Doerffler laced a single up the middle that scored Millspaugh and Beer, drawing the 'Dons to within two at 5-3.
IU would get an insurance run in the 8th inning, as reigning Big Ten player of the week, center fielder Andrew Means singled and scored on a sacrifice fly by left fielder Sterling Mack.
Hard-throwing, herky-jerky righthander Doug Fleenor came on in the 7th inning and limited the 'Dons to just three hits the rest of the way for the save.
Tufts got the win, going six complete, giving up three runs (one earned), while striking out a career high seven.
Uebelhor took the loss, pitching eight complete, giving up six runs on 10 hits. He walked three, while striking out two.
Freshman second baseman Mark Carden was 3-5 in the game. Diem, junior DH Aaron Kerns, and Brown each had two base-knocks for the 'Dons.
With the loss, IPFW falls to 4-17.
The two teams will complete their rain-shortened two-game series Sunday afternoon at 1pm. You can listen to tomorrow's game live, here on www.gomastodons.com.
~Dons~
