Eastman and Spartan Baseball Stun No. 11 Wartburg in Day One Sweep
Apr 10, 2015
Senior starter Josh Eastman shutout the Iowa Conference's best offense in a 2-0 game one win as the Spartans completed the Friday sweep.
WAVERLY, Iowa - Spartan starter Josh Eastman stymied the Wartburg bats in game one with a seven-inning shutout and the University of Dubuque offense tagged the Knights for 15 hits in the nightcap as the Spartans swept No. 11 Wartburg, 2-0 and 9-5, on Friday night.
Game One
Box Score
Spartans win 2-0
Eastman Nearly Untouchable Against League's Best Offense
UD starter Josh Eastman (2-4) was lights out from the get-go after retiring the first seven Wartburg (21-5, 11-4 Iowa Conference) batters. The senior out of Edgerton, Wis. led the battle between the IIAC's best team ERA (3.65) against the Knights, who carried the league's highest scoring offense at 7.6 runs per game and most home run, 18, during IIAC play.
The Knights mustered up a total of two hits against Eastman and the Spartans (10-13, 5-6 IIAC) as he fanned a total of three Wartburg batters on the night in his seven-inning complete game.
The Spartan offense only needed two runs on five hits to put away Wartburg, who is currently on a four-game losing streak. Matt Hogan's RBI-single in the fourth and Michael Salazar's RBI-double in the sixth provided the game's only scoring.
Wartburg's Bolt (3-3) took the loss after surrendering two runs (one earned) and five hits in 7.0 innings of work.
Game Two
Box Score
Spartans win 9-5
Spartan Bats Come Alive to Complete the Sweep
The Spartans (11-13, 6-6 Iowa Conference) erupted for 15 hits and a 9-1 lead in the win as UD held off a last-ditch effort by the Knights.
Leftfielder Trace Florek led the charge after finishing 4-for-5 with one run and a game-high two RBIs. Florek led a contingent of five Spartan hitters who totaled at least two hits and a group of eight Spartan batters that brought home at least one RBI.
The Wartburg (21-6, 11-5 Iowa Conference) offense opened up the scoring after hitting an RBI-single in the bottom of the first to grab the 1-0 lead. UD responded with nine unanswered runs thanks to a one-run third-inning, and four runs each in the fourth and sixth stanzas.
Centerfielder Daniel Casanova started it off the Spartan scoring with an RBI-double in the third. UD racked up four runs on five hits in the fourth inning behind a trio of RBI-singles by Hogan, 2B John Henderson, and SS Ryan Karrick followed by a squeeze bunt by C Will Doherty. The sixth inning was much of the same as Florek did the most damage with an two RBI-single to left field to push the margin to 9-1 in the Spartans favor.
The Knights countered with three runs on three hits in the bottom of the seventh and an RBI-single in the ninth, but it was too little, too late.
UD starter Tyler Trifiletti (1-1) picked up the win after surrendering three earned runs and 11 hits, while striking out four in 6.0 innings on the bump. Trifiletti and reliever Reed Stumpf put to rest any comeback attempt by the Knights after stranding 13 Wartburg batters on base.
The Spartans cut the Wartburg lead to 32-78 in the all-time series and beat the Knights for the third straight game.
UD looks for a repeat performance against Wartburg starting tomorrow, April 11, at 1:00 p.m.
