Baseball Faces Coe to Begin IIAC Tournament Play
May 10, 2016
The Spartans open up Iowa Conference play for the first time since 2005 this Thursday, May 12 against Coe.
2015 IIAC Tournament Results
Complete Tournament Schedule and Bracket
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – After clinching their first Iowa Conference tournament berth since 2005, the University of Dubuque baseball team opens up tournament play this Thursday, May 12 against Coe in search of their first Iowa Conference tournament title.
The #5 seed Spartans (19-21, 12-16 Iowa Conference) lost out to Coe (17-20, 12-16 Iowa Conference) in a head-to-head tiebreaker for the rights to the #4 seed. UD dropped its opening IIAC series, 3-1, against Coe on April 2-3.
Coe will now host the Spartans in the opening game of the IIAC tournament on Thursday, May 12 at 1:00 p.m.
If the Spartans WIN they will face #1 Wartburg on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m., and if they LOSE they take on the loser of #6 Simpson vs. #3 Buena Vista on Friday morning at 10:00 a.m.
Both teams lost their final Iowa Conference series last weekend with the Spartans getting swept by Luther and Coe winning one against Wartburg, this year’s Iowa Conference Champion.
First Meeting at Coe
UD mustered just two runs on seven hits in an opening Friday sweep, but salvaged the series with a split on Saturday in a pair of close games. In game three, the Spartans plated two unearned runs on six Kohawk errors in a 5-3 win, but were stung by a walk-off solo home run in game four, 7-6.
The designated hitter Thomas Kempf and third baseman Dalton Garst each registered five hits with a combined three runs scored to lead thet Spartan offense. UD starter Reed Stumpf tossed his first of four complete games in IIAC play thanks to a game three victory where he surrendered 10 hits and three earned runs over 7.0 innings.
Spartans against each tournament qualifier
#1 seed Wartburg
Record: 1-3
Run Differential: -16 (Outscored 13-29)
UD Top Hitter: 3B Dalton Garst (.400, 6-15, 3 runs, 1 double, 2 RBIs)
UD Top Pitcher: RHP Reed Stumpf (1-0, CG, 7.0 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 1 K)
Handed the Knights their second loss of IIAC play (at the time) with a walkoff-single by catcher Will Doherty in game three.
#2 Buena Vista
Record: 1-3
Run Differential: +0 (Tied 15-15)
UD Top Hitter: C Will Doherty (.385, 5-13, 2 runs, 3 doubles, 2 RBIs)
UD Top Pitcher: RHP Doug Van Dyke (1-0, CG, 9.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 9 K)
Lost first three games by a combined four runs and shutout the Beavers, 4-0, in final game behind 9.0-inning, nine-strikeout, complete-game gem from Van Dyke.
#3 Luther
Record: 0-4
Run Differential: -14 (Outscored 24-38)
UD Top Hitter: RF Jarad Clevenger (.529, 9-17, 4 runs, 1 double, 10 total bases)
UD Top Pitcher: LHP Jacob Padilla (0-1, 6.0 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 6 K)
Outhit Luther, 48-42, but gave up their most runs (38) in an IIAC series. The Spartans allowed four innings of five or more runs in the sweep.
#4 Coe
*Game 1 opponent: 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 12 at Daniel Park
Record: 1-3
Run Differential -12 (Outscored 13-25)
UD Top Hitter: DH Thomas Kempf (.500, 5-10, 2 runs, 4 walks)
UD Top Pitcher: RHP Stumpf (1-0, CG, 7.0 IP, 10 H, 3 ER, 2 K)
#6 Simpson
Record: 2-2
Run Differential: +2 (Outscored 23-21)
UD Top Hitter: CF Austin McWhite (.308, 4-13, 4 runs, 3 doubles, 1 HR, 6 RBIs)
UD Top Pitcher: RHP Stumpf (1-0, 8.0 IP, 9 H, 2 ER, 7 K)
Only IIAC tourney qualifier the Spartans have outscored this season in a four-game series that saw every game decided by three or fewer runs.
