UNI cruises past Jackrabbits, 14-4

Wednesday, April 8

Cedar Falls, Iowa

3 p.m.

South Dakota State University

Northern Iowa

Jackrabbit nine drop series opener at UCA

4/8/2009 8:45:00 PM | Baseball

By: SDSU Sports Info

WATERLOO, Iowa ? Northern Iowa scored early and often, cruising to a 14-4 victory over South Dakota State in non-conference baseball action Wednesday afternoon.

The Panthers improved to 13-16 overall, while SDSU dropped to 5-18 on the season.

UNI scored five times in the first inning and tacked on six more runs in the second frame to build an 11-0 lead. The Panthers led 14-0 after four innings, plating two runs in the third and one in the fourth.

Jeff Taliaferro was the hitting star for UNI, going 4-for-5 with five runs batted in. The junior catcher delivered two-run singles in each of the first two innings and added an RBI double in the third. Deric Manrique, Travis Bennett and Jason Summers each added three hits as the Panthers pounded out 16 hits in the game. Bennett drove in three runs, while Manrique knocked in a pair with a base hit in the second inning.

SDSU got on the board in the sixth inning as Billy Stitz led off with his first home run of the season. Jesse Sawyer, who followed Stitz's blast with a single, later came around to score on an RBI groundout off the bat of Joel Blake.

The Jackrabbits scored the final two runs of the game in the ninth inning. Zach Briggs doubled with one out and scored on a base hit by Stitz. Sawyer added a run-scoring hit later in the inning to drive in Stitz.

Stitz, Ayala, Sawyer and Briggs each collected two of the Jackrabbits' 10 hits.

Starter Blaine Alberta was saddled with the loss after giving up 11 runs and 10 hits in the first two innings. The Jackrabbit bullpen trio of Austin Busse, Isaac Johnson and Caleb Thielbar combined to throw six innings, allowing three runs and six hits, while striking out three and walking three.

Colin Rea earned the victory for UNI, hurling three perfect innings with four strikeouts.

SDSU returns to Summit League action this weekend, traveling to perennial conference champion Oral Roberts. The four-game series gets under way at 7 p.m. Friday in Tulsa, Okla.

NORTHERN IOWA 14, SDSU 4

SDSU 000 002 002 4-10-1

UNI 562 100 00X 14-16-1

SDSU: Blaine Alberta, Austin Busse (3), Isaac Johnson (6), Caleb Thielbar (8) and Zach Briggs. UNI: Colin Rea, Scott Airey (4), Reggie Hochstedler (6), Lucas O'Rear (7), Keith Worner (8), Ivan Lopez (9) and Jeff Taliaferro.

W-Rea (2-1). L-Alberta (0-1).

HR: SDSU-Billy Stitz (1).