March 5, 2004

Box Score

LAWRENCE, KAN. - The odds were certainly stacked against the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team here Friday (Mar. 5). Not only were the Panthers playing their first game of the year, but it also marked the first time the squad has been outside all spring. Add to the equation a red-hot team and the result ended up a 22-6 defeat to the University of Kansas in the first of a three-game weekend series at KU's Hoglund Ballpark. With the loss UWM drops its season-opener for the sixth straight year. Meanwhile, the Jayhawks won for the sixth straight time in improving to 13-7-1 on the season.

The hosts scored early and often off of UWM starter Aaron Bushong, touching the senior for 12 runs in three innings. The Jayhawks scored seven runs in the bottom of the first inning, thanks in large part to a three-run home run from Andy Scholl and a two-run bomb from J.C. Sibley.

Milwaukee countered in the top of third inning when Sam Jansen delivered a one-out single. Senior Matt Alexander then drove in UWM's first runs of the season with a two-run, home run to left field. The hit was the second of the game for Alexander while the home run was the second of his UWM career.

The KU offense continued to click in the bottom of the third, scoring five more runs on five hits and one Panther error. Matt Tribble deliverd the big blow of the frame with KU's third home run of the game, this one a two-run shot to right center. The 12 runs chased the senior Bushong (0-1), who allowed 12 earned runs and 13 hits in just three innings of work.

The Panthers continued to deliver offensively and cut the hosts lead to 12-5 with three more tallies in the top of the fifth. Starting catcher Brooks Graff started the inning with his first collegiate home run. Alexander then drew a two-out walk and scored when Ben Stanczyk hit the Panthers third homer of the game, this one a smash to right field.

Unfortunately for Milwaukee the Jayhawk bats continued to rip and the hosts put the game away with five runs in the fifth, two more in the sixth, and three in the eighth. Milwaukee scored just once more in the game when a Graff RBI double scored freshman Ross McCoy in the top half of the sixth inning. Freshman Robert Michalkiewicz made his Panther debut on the mound, allowing three earned runs in two innings of work while Jed Dolske allowed just one hit in an inning and one-third innings.

Offensively UWM played well notching 12 base hits on the day, five of which went extra bases. Alexander finished the day 3-5 with two runs, and two RBI while Graff went 2-4 with a run scored and two runs driven in. Jansen added two hits from the second spot in the lineup while Stanczyk, Matt Curran, Charlie Reschke, Jeremy Wilson, and McCoy all added base hits. Ten different players posted multiple hit games for KU with first baseman Ryan Baty leading the way. Baty went 4-4 on the day and drove in three runs while scoring three. Ryan Knippschild earned the win for the Jayhawks, giving up five earned runs in five innings of work.

The two teams will meet again on Saturday (March 6) with the first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Sophomore Korey Keller will take the hill for the Panthers against KU junior Clint Schambach.