Conway, S.C. ? Chris Gottschall and Shaun VanDriessche each went 2-for-5 with three runs batted in and a home run to lead Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne past the UAlbany baseball team at Coastal Carolina's Caravelle Resort Tournament on Sunday, March 8. The Great Danes, who finished the tournament with a 1-3 ledger, also dropped a 20-5 decision to Creighton on Saturday, March 7.

            In Sunday's finale, the Mastodons scored six runs in the first inning and another two in the second to take an early 8-0 advantage. Gottschall hit a three-run homer to left which started the scoring. The fourth run came in when Scott Micinski connected for one of his four singles, and the fifth was scored when Ryan Beer hit into a fielder's choice with the bases loaded. After a single by Garrett Segraves made it a six-run game, pitcher Sean Gregory got out of a bases-loaded jam by forcing Gottschall to fly out to center.

            Following a two-RBI single by Micinski in the second frame, UAlbany, which won its first game of the season over IPFW earlier in the tournament, rallied back by plating three runs in the top of the third. Gary Pitcheralle led off the frame by depositing the ball over the left field fence. The second run came across when Sean Donovan advanced home on a wild pitch with the bases loaded, and Dave West capped the scoring in the frame with an RBI single through the right side.

            IPFW (2-5) regained its eight-run lead by plating three in the bottom of the third inning thanks to three straight singles by VanDriessche, Mark Carden and Jordan Kohler. However, the Great Danes responded with three more runs in the fourth to pull within two. After Adam Cutspec was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a passed ball, Pitcheralle went yard for the second time. Four batters later, West recorded his second RBI of the day when he grounded out to second to plate Brendan Rowland. However, the Mastodons put up two more runs in the fifth and

            UAlbany's Austin Chase was credited with the loss and fell to 0-2 this season. He lasted 0.2 innings and surrendered six runs, which were all earned, as well as three hits. Sean Gregory, Dave Noble and Eric Cortland all made relief appearances. Noble struck out six in a team-leading 4.2 innings of work. Josh Satto got the starting nod for IPFW, allowing six earned runs and five hits in three innings. Stacy Herrold earned the victory on the mound for pitching six scoreless innings in relief. He struck out three batters and only gave up two hits and two walks.

            In Saturday's game against Creighton, UAlbany scored three runs in the top half of the first inning to take an early lead against the Bluejays. Rowland came home for the first run of the game when pitcher Mike Nihsen was called for a balk with the bases loaded. With two down, Jamie Liebowitz then doubled in Mike Tirri and Ryan Gugel before Nobel grounded out to end the inning.

            Creighton (2-8) rallied back by hitting four home runs off the Great Dane pitching staff in the second and third innings to take a 7-3 lead. Jimmy Swift hit a solo shot to left to start the scoring in the second. Carson Vitale led off the third with a home run. A bomb by Vicente Cafaro later in the stanza scored three, and T.J. Roemmich followed with a two-run homer just two few batters later.

            The Great pushed across two more runs in the fourth, courtesy of a triple by Cutspec and a single by Donovan. However, the Jays added eight more in the eighth and another two in the late innings to ice the 15-run victory.

            UAlbany's Dave Kubiak took the loss on the mound and dropped to 0-2 this year. He gave up 11 hits and nine runs which were all earned in three innings of work. Zach Kraham, Travis Wilson, Chris Hackett and Jeff Kaier all appeared in relief for the Great Danes. Creighton's Brandon Koenigstein, who relieved Nihsen in the fifth inning, was credited with the victory for his first win in as many decisions. He struck out five while allowing two hits and no runs while issuing just one walk in four innings. Kurt Spomer pitched the final inning for the Jays, giving up one hit.

            UAlbany (1-7) returns to action next weekend when it travels to face Saint John's, which won the 2008 Big East regular-season championship, on Friday, March 13 at 3:30 p.m.

-agate-

            UAlbany                                    300       200       000       5          8          3

            Creighton (2-8)                           016       381       01x       20         20         1         

            UAlbany: Dave Kubiak, Zach Kraham (4), Travis Wilson (5), Chris Hackett (5), Jeff Kaier (6) and Ryan Gugel.  

            Creighton: Brandon Koenigstein, Kurt Spomer (9) and Carson Vitale.

            UAlbany (1-7)                            003       300       000       6          8          3

            IPFW (2-5)                                623       020       02x       15         20         1         

            UAlbany: Austin Chase, Sean Gregory (1), Dave Noble (3), Eric Cortland (7) and Kyle Crean.

            IPFW: Josh Shatto, Stacy Herrrold (4) and Mason Rovenstine.

Creighton 20, UAlbany 5 (03-07-09 at Conway, S.C.)

Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Albany.............. 300 200 000 -  5  8  3
Creighton........... 016 381 01X - 20 20  1
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Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Albany.............. 003 300 000 -  6  8  3
IPFW................ 623 020 02X - 15 20  1
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