Purdue Fort Wayne
SOUTHERN UTAH
Baseball Splits Middle Two Games of Summit League Series at Southern Utah
4/4/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 4, 2008
Cedar City, UT - After combining for a total of 34 runs yesterday, IPFW and Southern Utah saw the pitchers take control in Friday afternoon's double header at Thunderbird Park.
The Mastodons took the nine inning opener, 5-4 before falling in the seven inning nightcap, 2-1.
The 'Dons opened the scoring in their half of the 1st inning on an RBI double by first baseman Shaun VanDriessche. VanDriessche's two-bagger scored shortstop Mark Carden who led off the inning with a walk.
IPFW made it, 2-0 in the top of the second as left fielder Quentin Brown scored on a fielder's choice.
Southern Utah cut the IPFW lead to 2-1 in their half of the second on a sacrifice fly by first baseman Joe Wright.
The Thunderbirds tied it in the 5th inning, but the 'Dons pushed two across in the top of the seventh.
Carden singled home designated hitter Aaron Kerns. Carden would eventually come around to score on an RBI single by catcher Devin Taylor.
SUU made it 4-3 in the home half of the seventh. Second baseman Keli'i Zablan led off the inning with a triple to the gap in right center and came home on a sacrifice fly by first baseman Bucky Aona.
IPFW got an insurance run in the 8th inning. Brown led off the frame with a triple of his own and came home an a Kerns' single.
The 'Dons needed that run because SUU would get one in their half of the eighth.
Freshman Sam Walker came on in the 9th inning to close it out for IPFW, and the 'Dons won, 5-4.
Starter Cole Uebelhor went 5-2/3 innings, scattering seven hits. He gave up two earned runs.
Freshman Chad Nielsen got his first career-win, pitching an inning and two-thirds. He gave up two runs on five hits, striking out two while walking one.
In game two, Southern Utah got two runs in the third inning off of starter Stacy Herrold. Those were the only runs that Herrold would surrender.
IPFW was held off the board until their last at-bat in the seventh.
Brown led off the frame with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. With two-out, second baseman Scott Micinski doubled down the left field line chasing home Brown.
Carden walked putting runners on first and second.
Taylor was then hit by a pitch to load the bases with two out.
But, SUU reliever Keli'i Zablan got center fielder Jared Davis to fly out to center to end the ball game.
Herrold was the tough luck loser in the 2-1 game. He pitched six complete, giving up those two runs on six hits. He struck out a pair of Thunderbirds while walking just one.
With the split, IPFW improves to 6-16-1 and sits at 2-1 in Summit League play.
The Mastodons and Thunderbirds will conclude their four-game set on Saturday afternoon.
~Dons~
