March 12, 2004

Box Score

ST. LOUIS, MO. - Persistence certainly paid off for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team here Friday (Mar. 12). The visiting Panthers overcame a six-run fifth inning deficit to stun Saint Louis University 9-8 at the Billiken Sports Complex. The Panthers, now 2-2 on the year, scored four runs in the fifth, two in the eighth and two more in the ninth to hand the Billikens their ninth loss in 13 contests.

Milwaukee grabbed an early lead when catcher Brooks Graff drilled a home run to leadoff the game. UWM starter Korey Keller controlled things early on as he allowed no runs and just one hit through the first three innings. However, the righthander ran into trouble in the fourth inning as SLU touched him up for seven runs on six hits before the end of the inning. Jeremy Leibfried eventually put out the fire, getting the final out of the fourth inning before working a scoreless fifth.

The Panther bats awoke in the fifth inning when a four-run, six-hit frame cut the SLU lead to 7-5. A pair of newcomers started things off as centerfielder Robert Michalkiewicz singled and moved to third on a Nicholas Wichser double. Both players then scored when Graff drilled a two-run double to right field. Charlie Reschke doubled home Graff before Matt Alexander finished the scoring with an RBI single.

Trailing 7-5, Michalkiewicz moved to the mound from centerfield and promptly pitched a scoreless sixth inning. The lefty was touched for one run in the bottom of the seventh while UWM headed into the eighth inning down 8-5. The Panthers responded once again and cut the lead to one, 8-7, with two tallies in the inning. Shane Davis started the rally with a one-out single and then advanced to third on a Michalkiewicz single. After a Wichser foul out UWM continued its early season clutch hitting as Graff and Blake Kangas each delivered two-out, RBI singles.

After Michalkiewicz shut down the Billikens in the eighth, UWM eventually grabbed the lead with two more runs in the ninth. Joe Nowicki walked to lead off the inning before advancing to second on a Ross McCoy single. After a Davis sacrifice bunt and a ground out, the freshman Wichser provided the heroics with a two-run, game-winning single to center field. New Panther closer Jed Dolske then took the mound in the ninth and worked out of a bases loaded jam to earn his second save of the season.

Michalkiewicz earned his first collegiate win after allowing just one run with five strikeouts in three and one-thirds innings. As a whole, the UWM bullpen allowed one run on just four hits in five and one-third innings. Graff finished the game 4-6 with four RBI and two runs scored while Reschke, Matt Alexander, McCoy, Wichser, and Michalkiewicz each added two hits.

Due to possible incliment weather the two teams will play a doubleheader tomorrow (Mar. 13) with the first game beginning at noon. The Sunday single game will now be the second game of Saturday's twinbill. Aaron Bushong is scheduled to start the first game for UWM with junior Ben Stanczyk taking the hill in the nightcap.