The Cook Book: Back in the swing of things

FightingSioux.com Blogs 4/5/2010 12:36:00 PM UND Athletics Media Relations

The Cook Book: Improving game-by-game

Periodically throughout the season, senior desginated hitter Aaron Cook will supply a blog for Fighting Sioux fans on the ins and outs of the UND baseball program. Cook's blog will also appear on www.pingbaseball.com as he is one of a several Division I baseball players supplying blogs for the collegiate baseball site.

Cook burst onto the scene last season for the Sioux as a redshirt junior, batting .328 with six home runs and 28 RBI. All three of those totals ranked second on the team. The Erskine, Minn., native had just three at-bats in his UND career entering the program's first as a Division I member.

Volume 4: Improving Game-by-Game

At the end of our spring break trip we started to play better as a team. We were hoping this would continue into this road trip. Although the results may not show it I believe that was the case. Our first series on the trip was against Oral Roberts University. They have once the Summit League every year since its inception.

In the first game, Derek Biermaier and Brandon Baumgartner gave us terrific pitching performances. We fell down by three runs two different times, but were able to rally within one run both times. Heading into the bottom of the eight we were trailing 5-4. The first two outs came fairly easy, but the third was much harder to get. Before we were able to get the third out of the inning, the Golden Eagles were able to rally for seven runs, all with two outs. The final score of the game was 12-4 ORU.

In game two we were able to take an early 2-0 lead. This lead did not last long as ORU answered with two of their own in the bottom of the inning. Trailing 4-2 late in the game, we were able to rally ourselves to tie the game up. The eighth inning was unkind to us once again. ORU put one across and that would be the game winner. Sam Anderson turned in another great pitching performance for us and Josh Ray paced the offense. Ray had a great series in general and was awarded with Great West player of the week honors.

The third and final game of the series was another close game. But, unfortunately we came up on the wrong side of the scoreboard again. Jake Magner led the offense with two home runs in the game. Even though we got swept, we felt like we should have won two out of the three games. This gave us some confidence knowing we should have beaten a team of this caliber.

Next, we were off to Lincoln, Neb., to take on Nebraska in a two game series. Mr. Bob Falas, a UND baseball and football alumnus, and his wife were kind enough to invite us to their house for supper one night. We were able to hang out and play some pool as well where Coach Devillers showed us his impressive pool skills by actually hitting balls into the cue ball!

We definitely came out and jumped all over them the first game. After the top of the fourth we were up 10-0. Unfortunately after that great start, our bats went cold and the Huskers slowly chipped away. In the bottom of the eighth, we were up 10-5 and with one swing of the bat, it was a one run game. We were unable to put up any runs in the top half of the ninth. After an RBI double by the Huskers tied the game in the top of the ninth. The next batter then singled up the middle and we lost the game 11-10. This was a heartbreaking loss. We had a team down and were unable to keep them there.

The second game did not start out so well. They scored five unearned runs in the bottom of the first to get things going. After that Zac Salfer was able to settle in and gave us a great start. We got a few rallies going, left the bases loaded a couple of times, but came up short 10-4. It was a disappointing way to end the road trip.

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Players Mentioned

#34 Sam Anderson: P; 6' 5"; Junior

#19 Brandon Baumgartner: P; 6' 0"; Junior

#7 Derek Biermaier: P; 5' 11"; Junior

#21 Jake Magner: INF; 6' 3"; Junior

#9 Josh Ray: OF; 6' 1"; Junior

#23 Zac Salfer: P; 6' 0"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#34 Sam Anderson
: 6' 5"; Junior
: P

#19 Brandon Baumgartner
: 6' 0"; Junior
: P

#7 Derek Biermaier
: 5' 11"; Junior
: P

#21 Jake Magner
: 6' 3"; Junior
: INF

#9 Josh Ray
: 6' 1"; Junior
: OF

#23 Zac Salfer
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: P