March 31, 2004

Box Score

LINCOLN, NEB. - In the words of Yogi Berra it was "deja vu all over again" for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team on Wednesday (March 31). The Panthers, who notched just one hit in a 10-0 loss to No. 20 University of Nebraska on Tuesday, were able to scratch out just three base knocks in a 9-0 loss to the Cornhuskers today. Milwaukee (7-10 on the season) dropped its second straight game and was shutout in back-to-back games for the first time since April 7, 1999. With the victory, the nationally-ranked Huskers improved to 18-5.

Much like Tuesday's tilt, NU jumped out to an early lead while holding the Panther bats in check. Nebraska scored single runs in the first and third innings thanks to an RBI single by Curtis Ledbetter and a solo home run by Daniel Bruce. Offensively, Brooks Graff led off the game with a base hit for UWM but Husker starter Quintin Robertson got the next 13 batters in a row to keep the Huskers in front.

Nebraska broke the game open in the fourth inning with three runs, just one of which was earned, on three hits and two UWM errors. Colin Shockey drove home a run with an RBI single while Bruce and Alex Gordon each drove home runs with a bunt, and sacrifice fly, respectively. Nebraska scored two more runs in the sixth off of starter Ben Stanczyk and touched reliever Jed Dolske for two more in the eighth for the final margin.

Milwaukee threatened to score in two different innings but ended up stranding five runners. Joe Nowicki singled with one out in the fifth and moved to third on a Matt Curran line drive single. However, with two outs Robertson got Steve Sanfilippo to ground out back to him to end the inning. The Panthers loaded the bases in the seventh inning thanks to the wildness of Husker reliever Jeremy Becker. The southpaw walked Ross McCoy, Nicholas Wichser, and Robert Michalkiewicz all in succession to load the bases with one out. Nebraska then summoned righy Brett Jansen from the bullpen and he put out the fire when he got Blake Kansas to strike out looking and Sanfilippo to fly out to center field.

Stanczyk (1-3) took the loss for UWM as he allowed eight runs (five earned) in six innings while allowing eight hits and two walks with three punchouts. Robertson improved to 2-4 for the Huskers as he struck out four and allowed three hits in his five innings of work. Nowicki and Curran each went 1-2 for the Panthers while Graff finished 1-4.

The Panthers will enjoy nearly a week off before returning to action next Tuesday (April 6). UWM will open the home portion of the 2004 schedule when Northern Illinois University comes to Henry Aaron Field for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.