WATERLOO - After a disheartening defeat at Evansville Sunday, one head coach Rick Heller labeled "as hard of a loss as he's been a part of," captain Brett Douglas believed the University of Northern Iowa baseball team needed to put the game in perspective.

Douglas sent Heller a text message Monday night and suggested bringing back "The Reality Poster."

The poster, which hung in UNI's dugout last season for the first time, features headlines and articles from newspapers that illustrate stories of struggle and hardship for people across the country.

"It just shows there's worse stuff that can happen than striking out or going out there and giving up a handful of runs," Douglas said after UNI's 9-6 victory over Clarke College Tuesday.

"It's a good tool. I figured it might lighten the mood and turn a negative into a positive."

So Heller dug up some newspapers and made the poster Monday night. It hung in the dugout near the team's lineup card.

"I've never seen or heard of anything like it, but it's definitely a positive thing for us," juco transfer catcher Jeff Taliaferro said. "Things could be worse."

That said, UNI (11-13) has had plenty of challenges thrown at it during the past month.

From being told the program will be discontinued at season's end unless they can raise $1.2 million in five weeks to playing their first 23 games on the road and losing four one-run games in the past two weeks, the Panthers have dealt with adversity.

In addition to that, UNI was greeted by 35-degree temperatures, howling winds and snow flurries for its home opener Tuesday at Riverfront Stadium.

"I couldn't be happier with our guys," Heller said. "A lot of teams would have cashed it in already, especially with the road games we have to play and as young and as inexperienced as we are.

"They've dealt with all of this really well."

UNI, which has been involved in 11 games decided by two or fewer runs, found itself in another tight contest.

After the Panthers jumped to a 3-0 lead, courtesy of a three-run homer from Douglas in the opening frame, Clarke (13-17) tallied five unanswered runs during its next three at-bats.

UNI scored an unearned run in the fourth and regained the advantage in the fifth after Taliaferro laced a single.

Grant Grgurich added cushion an inning later with a solo homer. The bottom three hitters in UNI's order - Taliaferro, Cory Ege and Grgurich - had four hits and scored three runs.

"Those guys hadn't been producing at all early, but they are swinging the bat well right now," Heller said. "It makes it easier for us. I'm happy with our approach."

UNI's pitching was good enough Tuesday.

After starter David Conrad struck out seven in four innings, Denver alum Keith Worner yielded just one run in 3 2/3 innings of relief to get his first collegiate win.

"Those guys haven't been out there much," Heller said, "and their previous outings weren't very good. For them to have something positive happen was good."

Still, UNI found itself in another one-run tussle until an error, passed ball, a walk and hit by pitch resulted in two eighth-inning runs.

Senior Zach Zirbel sealed the win, pitching a perfect ninth inning.

"It was nice not having the stress of another one-run game in the ninth inning," Taliaferro said. "We were more relaxed in that ninth inning today.

"That's a huge help going forward."

UNI travels to Minnesota for a 6:35 p.m. tilt today before returning home to play Indiana State at 6 p.m. Friday in the start of a three-game series.

Contact Matt Coss at (319) 291-1468 or matt.coss@wcfcourier.com

Clarke ab r h bi N. Iowa ab r h bi

Molitor,cf 4 1 0 0 Manrique,cf 4 1 1 1

Davidson,rf 4 2 2 1 Ferguson,rf 3 1 1 0

Harvat,dh 3 0 0 0 Summers,1b 1 1 0 0

Jimenez,3b 5 0 1 0 Bennett,lf 5 1 1 0

Bowles,2b 4 1 1 1 Douglas,2b 4 2 2 3

Spain,ss 4 1 2 1 Dinizo,c 4 0 0 0

Kelly,lf 4 0 2 0 Arp,ph 1 0 0 0

Lister,1b 3 1 1 1 Taliaferro,dh 4 1 2 1

Bledsoe,c 2 0 0 0 Ege,ss 3 1 1 0

Ciaburri,c 1 0 1 0 Grgurich,3b 4 1 1 1

Kroese,pr 0 0 0 0

Patton,c 0 0 0 0

Brewer,ph 1 0 0 0

Totals 35 6 10 4 Totals 33 9 9 6

Clarke 013 100 100 - 6 10 5

Northern Iowa 300 121 02x - 9 9 2

E - Davidson, Bowles, Spain, Kelly, Bledsoe; Ferguson, Dinizo. DP - UNI 1. LOB - Clarke 7, UNI 9. 2B - Bennett (11), Taliaferro (10). HR - Douglas (3), Grgurich (1). SB - Molitor; Ferguson (7), Ege (4), Grgurich (6). SH - Bledsoe. SF - Manrique.

Pitching summary

Clarke IP H R ER BB SO

Haas (L,3-3) 5.1 7 7 6 4 2

Brewer 2.0 2 2 1 3 1

Spain 0.2 0 0 0 0 1

UNI IP H R ER BB SO

Conrad 4.0 7 5 3 1 7

Worner (W,1-0) 3.2 3 1 1 1 1

Gibbs 0.1 0 0 0 0 0

Zirbel (S,1) 1.0 0 0 0 0 1

WP - Conrad. PB - Patton; Dinizo. CI - Dinizo.

HBP - by Worner (Davidson); by Spain (Summers).

U - Ryan Meyers (plate); Chris Oberbroeckling (bases).

T - 2:40. Att. - 167.