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April 27, 2007 SYCAMORES HELD IN CHECK, FALL AT NORTHERN IOWA WATERLOO, Iowa — Northern Iowa limited the Sycamores to just three hits as they fell 5-0 to Northern Iowa in the opener of this weekend’s Missouri Valley Conference series at Waterloo’s Riverfront Park on Friday evening (April 27). ISU falls to 19-20, 2-11 MVC while UNI improves to 18-19, 4-9 MVC. Northern Iowa struck for a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning against junior right-hander Ryan Tatusko, who made his first Friday night Valley start of the season. The Panthers loaded the bases with no outs before Tatusko forced Brett Featherston to ground into a double play which scored Deric Manrique for a 1-0 UNI lead. Brett Siegmund’s fielding error on the next play allowed Eric Hoffman to score from third with two outs to plate the Panthers’ second run of the frame and give UNI a 2-0 advantage. Tatusko settled throughout the rest of his work, before giving up another run in the fifth on a squeeze play. With two outs and Manrique on third base, the Panthers’ Brandon Douglas laid a bunt down the third base line to plate Manrique for the a 3-0 lead. UNI added two more in the sixth on a pair of RBI singles by Hoffman and Douglas for the 5-0 lead. ISU’s best threat to score came in the seventh when Chris Schmidt led off the frame with a double down the left field line. Schmidt stayed at second through a pair of ISU outs, before Nick Ciolli reached on an infield single. Schmidt was then caught in a run down after coming off third to end the scoring threat. Ciolli’s infield single in the seventh extended his hitting streak to a career-best 11 games. Dave Brumagin’s 12-game hitting streak ended with his 0-for-3 effort at the plate. Brumagin came to the plate in the top of the ninth inning but his streak ended with a base on balls. Brumagin was one of three Sycamores to receive free passes in the top of the ninth as ISU loaded the bases for pinch hitter Paul Strack. Strack faced UNI starter Aaron Jenkins, who neared the 130 pitch mark in the game. Jenkins earned the complete game victory with a swinging strikeout of Strack with the count full to end the game. Tatusko went 5.2 innings in the game as he fell to 3-7 on the season. He allowed four hits, three runs (two of which were earned) and struck out one. He walked six in the game. In relief, freshman Skyler Pearson worked the final 2.1 innings, giving up just a pair of hits and striking out two while walking none. UNI starter Aaron Jenkins improved to 2-3 on the season with a brilliant performance as he held the Sycamores to just three hits in a complete nine innings of work. The 5-0 victory was Jenkins’ first shutout of the season. He recorded 11 strikeouts in the win, including the one of Strack to record the game’s final out. In the field for the Sycamores, Siegmund put together a nice game despite the first inning error. He recorded nine assists, which is a single-game ISU record for a third baseman, surpassing the previous best of six. His nine assists tied the overall Sycamore record with Shelby Bowen who recorded nine as well on April 6, 1996 vs. Wichita State. Indiana State and Northern Iowa return to action on Saturday, April 28 with the second game of this weekend’s series at Riverfront Park. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m. (ET). Fans may listen to the game live on www.unipanthers.com or follow live stats at www.indstate.edu/athletic/xlive.htm.
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