May 27, 2004

Box Score

NILES, Ohio - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee scored 12 runs and notched 15 hits but it wasn't enough as Butler University posted a come-from-behind 15-12 victory in the 2004 Horizon League Baseball Tournament here Thursday (May 27). Milwaukee ends its season with a 23-30 record while Butler improves to 28-29 and will play Detroit in an elimination game Friday (May 28) at 1:30 p.m.

Milwaukee jumped out to an early lead with a five run first inning. With out Matt Alexander walked and moved to third on a Charlie Reschke double. Ben Stanczyk drove home two with a single, as did Ross McCoy. Nicholas Wichser walked to load the bases and Sam Jansen and Steve Sanfilippo drove home runs with a fielder's choice and single, respectively.

Butler scored one run in the bottom of frame to make it 5-1 before two more Panther tallies in the top of the seventh pushed the lead to six, 7-1. Alexander led off the inning with a single and advanced on Reschke's second double of the game. Stanczyk was intentionally walked to load the bases, leading to an RBI sacrifice fly by Joe Nowicki and a run-scoring groundout by McCoy.

The Bulldogs then began chipping away at the lead, scoring one in the bottom of the second before taking the lead with a nine run, eight hit, two error inning. Matt Crews blasted a solo home run, Ryan Nance hit a three-run homer and Andy Bulla hit a two-run doubled for the extent of the damage. The nine- run frame gave BU an 11-7 lead and helped chase UWM starter Aaron Bushong (2- 8), who allowed eight runs (seven earned) on eight hits in 2.1 innings pitched.

UWM cut the lead to two in the top of the fourth to make the score 11-9. Alexander ripped his third hit of the game with a single, as did Reschke. Then, with two-out McCoy walked leading to a Wichser two-run single to left field.

Unfortunately for the Panthers they would get no closer as Butler scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth, one in the fifth and one more in the seventh to build the insurmountable lead. Milwaukee did have numerous chances to cut in the lead in the late innings but couldn't get the clutch hit. UWM loaded the bases in the seventh inning down for runs but could only muster one tally as Butler's Ryan Chenowith retired Reschke, Stanczyk, and Nowicki in order to stifle the potential rally. Milwaukee scored one more run in the top of the ninth when Stanczyk blasted a long home run, his team-high tenth of the season.

Jed Dolske kept Milwaukee in the game with some solid relief work in the late innings. The sophomore allowed just one run on three hits in four innings, his longest outing of the season. Reschke and Alexander each had three hits and three runs scored while Sanfilippo went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Chenowith (2-2) earned the win for Butler, allowing five runs on eight hits in 5.1 innings of work.

The Panthers will return seven starting position players and three starting pitchers next season, including 2004 Horizon League Pitcher and Player of the Year Ben Stanczyk and all-league member Ross McCoy.