Spartans Baseball Hosts Knights

Apr 11, 2014 | J.Crane

DUBUQUE, IOWA - The University of Dubuque Baseball team faced a daunting challenge on Friday afternoon against the Iowa Conference (IIAC) leading Wartburg College Knights. The Spartans and Knights played an even first game with Wartburg pulling away late for a 4-1 victory. UD lost game two, 19-7. Dalton Garst (Winnebago, Ill./Winnebago) had an outstanding day at the plate with five hits in seven bats. The young Spartans are now 9-16 overall and 5-9 in the IIAC.

Score by Innings  -- Game 1 --         R H E
Wartburg  0 0  0 1  1   -   4   6   0 
Spartans  0 0  0 0  0   -   1   3   2 
WIN: B.Rettenmeir (5-0)     LOSS: H.Miller (1-3)
BOX SCORE                      
                       

The Spartans played flawless defense for the first four innings behind starting pitcher Harley Miller (Oak Lawn, Ill./Richards) before allowing an unearned run in the fifth. The UD infield turned outstanding inning ending double plays in the first and third to aid Miller early. 

After an unearned Wartburg run in the fifth, Miller's day was done. He finished with five strikeouts, three hits allowed, and one unearned run allowed in five innings of work. Wartburg added two runs in the sixth off UD relievers to take a 3-0 lead.

The bottom half of the sixth proved to be UD's inning as they manufacured their only run of the game. Leadoff man Daniel Casanova (Lake Tapps, Wash./Auburn Riverside) began the inning by drawing a 3-2 walk. Casanova then stole second base and advanced to third on a fielders choice. With one out, UD RBI leader Austin McWhite (Orlando, Fla./Wekiva) stepped into the box and hit a deep fly ball to center field that scored Casanova. 

Wartburg added an unearned run in the seventh to make the score 4-1. 

 

Score by Innings  -- Game 2 --         R H E
Wartburg  9 3  0 0  5   -   19   22   1 
Dubuque  0 0  1 1  4   -  7 13 2
WIN: P.Bolt (4-3)     LOSS: T.Van Egtern (0-2)
BOX SCORE                      
                       

Game two of the doubleheader did not start out well for the Spartans as they fell behind 14-0 after three innings. UD began to chip away at the lead with one run in the fourth, fifth, and sixth inning with a the biggest hit of the stretch being a solo home run by Austin Monfross (Big Timber, Mont./Sweet Grass) in the fith inning. Dubuque held Wartburg scoreless in the fourth, fifth, and sixth inning. 

The Spartans first run of the game came in the fourth inning after McWhite and Garst hit back-to-back singles to start the inning. With runners on first and third, Michael Salazar (Scottsdale, Ariz./Desert Mountain) hit into a 6-4-3 double play to score McWhite. 

UD continue its streak of scoring with another run in the sixth on a double down the right field line by Garst. Noah Burdt (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Washington) reached base to start the inning with a single to right field before scoring from first on the Garst double. Having cut the lead to 14-3, Wartburg put up five runs in the top of the seventh to open a 19-3 lead.

The seventh inning proved to be an exciting one for the Spartans as they scored four runs on four hits in the inning. UD scored its first run of the inning on a pinch hit single by Matt Hogan (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) that scored Monfross. An infield single by Eddie Pablo (Yelm, Wash./Yelm) then loaded the bases for James Workman (Mons, Belgium/SHAPE). Workman responded with a two-run RBI single down the right field line. With two outs, Garst singled to right field to score Pablo for the fourth and final run of the inning. 

McWhite, Monfross, and Pablo all finished with two hits. 

Trent Van Egtern (La Crosse, Wis./Central) took the loss for the Spartans giving up six runs (three earned) and five hits in 2/3 of an inning. 

UP NEXT: The Spartans will return to the field on Saturday morning with another doubleheader against Wartburg. Due to the threat of severe weather in the afternoon, first pitch has been moved to 11:00 am. 

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