March 8, 2008

Baseball Rips Rangers to Start Weekend

Sheldon Now 3-1; Cover Has 5 RBI's

     Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney baseball team scored 10 runs over the first three innings and got another strong out from junior Ryan Sheldon to beat Regis, 16-1, Friday afternoon in Denver.

      This was the first of a four game RMAC series. UNK improves to 7-8 (3-2) with the Rangers dropping to 6-6 (2-2 RMAC).

      UNK came into today's game having scored 21 runs in the first inning this year, a 1.5 average per game. That figure will slightly increase after the Lopers crossed home plate seven times, thanks to two hits and three walks, before Regis came to bat.

      To start the contest, the first four Lopers reached based with out the benefit of a single hit. Ranger starter Brennan Bonati was bit wild, to say the least, as he walked senior Tyler Keeble and junior Brad Hull while plunking senior Chris Gillaspy and junior Nate Swearer.

      After a third walk made it 2-0 UNK, senior Trey Howell (Antonito, Colo.) brought home two more with a single up the middle. Sophomore Blake Cover (Kearney Catholic) then cleared the bases with a three run homer to right center, forcing Bonati from the game without recording an out. 

      Later in the game, senior Joe Nowaczyk (Gretna) added a two run double and Hull had a two run single. Overall, UNK had 14 hits with senior Joe Gonzales (Lakewood, Colo.) going 3 for 5 and four others having two hits a piece. Finally, Cover led the RBI parade with five.

      On the mound, Sheldon (Kearney) threw seven scoreless innings to move to 3-1 on the year. The 6-6, 235 lbs. transfer from Barton County C.C. (Kan.) gave up just three hits while fanning five and walking none.

      The two teams will play a double header tomorrow starting at 1:00 p.m. Central. Pictured below is Sheldon-Cover-Gonzales.