April 20, 2003

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - Dave Pudlosky hit a game-winning home run in game one and Sam Jansen went 3-for-3 in game two as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee won a pair of games over Butler Sunday afternoon, 2-1 and 7-3.

The Bulldogs opened the day by hanging on for a 14-10 win in the conclusion of a game suspended by rain Saturday afternoon.

In Sunday's first full game, UWM starter Mikel Schafer (3-1) limited Butler to just three hits and one run in nine innings before Pudlosky won the game with a two-out, walk-off homer to right in the bottom of the ninth inning. Pudlosky's home run came off reliever Randy Miles, who had worked two innings without allowing a run before surrendering the blast.

The Panthers (14-13, 4-4) had grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first on a sacrifice fly by Ben Stanczyk, but Butler (21-20, 7-5 Horizon) tied the game in the fourth on a run-scoring ground ball by Ryan Nance.

UWM had plenty of chances to take control of the game earlier, but the Panthers stranded 11 runners while tallying 12 hits and having five other players reach base via walks. Meanwhile, Schaefer struck out 11 but had to overcome eight walks of his own, doing so thanks to four double plays.

Pudlosky had three hits in the game, while Doering and Jansen had two hits apiece.

Butler starter Jon Olson allowed 10 hits and one run in 6 1/3 innings. Dale Mueller had two of Butler's three hits.

The Panthers took control of game two Sunday by scoring five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Pudlosky, Jansen and P.J. Cannon had RBI singles with Matt Alexander and Jeremy Wilson collecting RBI doubles to stake UWM to a 7-0 lead. UWM had earlier taken a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the second inning as Jansen and Wilson each collected RBI singles.

Butler rallied for three unearned runs in the sixth off Panther starter Korey Keller (2-2), but could not overcome the big Panther lead. Ryan Chenoweth (0-1) took the loss for the Bulldogs.

Jansen had three hits while Wilson, Alexander and Pudlosky had two hits apiece for the Panthers, who hit .352 in the four-game series against a Butler staff that had allowed opponents to hit just .264 entering the weekend.

Mueller had three hits while Matt Crews and Jason Freeman added two apiece for the Bulldogs, who entered the weekend in a first-place tie with UIC in the Horizon League.

The day started with 23 minutes of baseball left over from Saturday. Butler led 13-9 in the contest that was stopped in the bottom of the sixth inning after a 51-minute delay Saturday. The Panthers scored one more time in the bottom of the sixth on Sunday, but the Bulldogs added an insurance run to secure their lone win of the series.

Panther starter Aaron Bushong (1-5) could not get out of the second inning in the game, allowing six runs and five hits. Reliever Cory Kleeba was also hit hard, allowing five runs and four hits in two-thirds of an inning.

UWM actually trailed 12-1 after 2 1/2 innings in the game, but rallied thanks to three runs in the third and six more in the sixth. Five players had two hits apiece for UWM, while Jansen and David Michna drove in two runs apiece for UWM.

Mueller had three hits while six other Bulldog players had two hits apiece. Butler starter Luke Behning (4-2) claimed the win despite allowing nine earned runs and 13 hits.

The Panthers return to action Tuesday afternoon, starting a busy week with a noon doubleheader at Chicago State. UWM also play a doubleheader at UW-Parkside Thursday at 1 p.m. before opening a four-game series with Cleveland State at Henry Aaron Field Friday at 6 p.m.