Spartans Struggle To Contain Clarke's Bats
Apr 11, 2017
PEOSTA, Iowa- After sweeping Simpson over the weekend, The University of Dubuque baseball team took the short trip over to Peosta to take on the Clarke University Crusaders, where they fell, 12-4.
The Spartans were trailing 6-0 heading into the sixth inning and still in search of their first hit, when Eric Hall was hit by a pitch and Jack Lasswell walked to set a up a Thomas Kempf RBI single to put the Spartans in the hit and run columns. After Thomas Kempf stole second base, Will Doherty followed with a single of his own to bring home Lasswell and cut the UD deficit to 2-6.
Clarke answered in the bottom half of the innings with three runs of their own. The Spartans continued to battle as Jacob Evans led off the top of the seventh with a single and the next batter, Tyler Lewan would single as well to put runners on first and second. After a walk from Gaetanio Florio to load the bases with no outs, Eric Hall drove in the third UD run on a fielder’s choice. Lewan would come around to score on a wild pitch shortly after with only one out in the seventh but that was all the Spartans could scratch across.
UD put runners on in the final two innings but could not mount any serious rally, while Clarke would continue to add insurance.
Trent Van Egtern suffered his first loss of the season on the mound as he struggled, getting hit for six runs on six hits in three innings. Nick Sewruck was able to tame the Crusaders offense over the next two innings allowing just one run before their bats awoke again and Jacob Padilla gave up five earned runs in three innings on five hits and four walks.
UD jumps back into Iowa Conference play this weekend as they travel to Cedar Rapids to take on Coe College on Friday and Saturday afternoon. The Kohawks are one spot behind the Spartans in the IIAC standings.
