FAIRBORN, Ohio - Daulton Varsho hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to send the Milwaukee baseball team to a 9-6 come-from-behind victory over Valparaiso University Thursday afternoon at Nischwitz Stadium.
 
The Panthers (32-24) trailed the Crusaders (28-27) by scores of 4-2 and 5-3 but went ahead on Varsho's big hit and tacked on more insurance runs from there to advance in the winner's bracket of the Horizon League Tournament.
 
"He's the player of the year," Milwaukee head coach Scott Doffek said. "He stepped up today and picked us up when we really needed him."
 
Varsho's one swing turned the game around and the offense did not let up. In all, five runs were scored in the decisive inning on six hits, with Eric Solberg and Ian Ross both adding key two-out, two-strike RBI singles in the rally.
 
"Those are huge," Doffek said. "This is a hitter's environment and all tournament there have been a lot of runs scored. A one-run lead is nothing. To come up with those two big hits gave us come cushion and we needed it."
 
Billy Quirke jumpstarted the scoring with a one-out double and was chased to third on a single back up the middle of the bat of Chris Kelly. Varsho then drilled an 0-1 pitch to the opposite field for his eighth home run of the season, bringing the Panther fans in attendance loudly to their feet.
 
Jake Tuttle came on in relief and got out of a huge jam in the bottom of the eighth, striking out a pair of Crusaders after a hit batter and error had loaded the bases. He finished with four K's in 1.2 innings to record his fifth save of the year.
 
That made a winner out of Brian Keller (10-3), who earned his 10^th straight victory on the season. He also added some history, striking out his 239^th batter of his career in the top of the seventh to break Quintin Oldenburg's (1998-2002) program record of 238.

He finished with no walks and four K's, allowing 11 hits in 7.1 innings. He also set the season record for wins, becoming the first-ever Panther to reach double figures. The record of nine had been set three times, most recently by Aaron Sorenson in 2005.
 
"Valpo is a good lineup," Doffek said. "They didn't throw any at bats away and barreled a lot of balls. Brian's stuff was a little flat today but he still did what he does. He gave up five runs, which doesn't sound great, but in these conditions it wasn't terrible. He gave us a chance to win, then Varsho gets the big homer and Tuttle did an outstanding job in some pretty high-pressure situations to execute some pitches."
 
Varsho, named the Horizon League Player of the Year on Tuesday, finished with two hits, two runs scored and four RBI. Luke Meeteer had two hits, drove in two, scored a run and stole his 25^th base of the year. Quirke had two hits and scored three times while Nick Unes also added a 2-for-4 day, driving in another insurance run in the eighth.
 
The Panthers jumped ahead immediately, plating a pair in the top of the first on a couple of hits. Quirke singled to lead off, Varsho walked and Meeteer chased them both home on a double down the left field line.
 
The Crusaders responded two innings later, scoring three times in the third to grab a 3-2 lead. A hit batter and double started the rally and a flare down the left field line fell just fair and scored both. They would take the one-run lead following back-to-back groundouts.
 
Haas settled down after the first inning and worked through the Panther offense quickly into the fifth. Following a one-out single by Quirke that ended a streak of nine set down in a row, Varsho just missed a two-run opposite-field home run, settling for a double that made it 4-3 at the time. Following an intentional walk to Meeteer, Milwaukee could get no closer.
 
Valpo responded quickly, pushing the advantage back to two runs in the top of the sixth. Nolan Lodden found the hole in the right side to plate one and make it 5-3 and give the Crusaders back the two-run cushion they held until Varsho's heroics.
 
Lodden (3-for-5, 3 RBI) and Daniel Delaney (3-for-5) led the Crusader offense. Milwaukee tagged starter Trevor Haas (5-2) with just his second loss of the season, scoring eight runs on eight hits in his 6.2 innings of work. The contest also featured a Horizon League Tournament record of seven hit batters combined.
 
With the result, the Panthers stay in the winner's bracket and advance to a showdown with No. 1 Wright State tomorrow. The Raiders advanced with an 11-3 victory over UIC in the first game of the day. First pitch is slated for 11 a.m. CST Friday.