April 2, 2005

Box Score

NORMAL, Ill. - Junior Zak Rivera finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs, and senior Brooks Graff scored three runs, to lead the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team to an 8-6 victory over Illinois State Saturday afternoon in Normal, Ill. The game began on Friday, but was suspended after four batters because of rain with the Panthers (5-11) ahead 1-0.

Trailing 6-4 in the sixth, Milwaukee fought back with four runs in the frame to take the lead at 8-6. Sophomore Matt Curran led off with a single and junior Joe Nowicki reached on an error. Two batters later, senior Steve Sanfilippo walked to load the bases before junior Mike Goetz hit an RBI ground out and Graff reached on a second Redbird error, scoring a pair of runs. Rivera delivered his third RBI hit of the game, scoring Graff and pushing UWM's run total to eight.

The Panthers had brought a 1-0 lead into the day after Goetz led the game off on Friday with a walk and scored on Rivera's first-inning double. Sophomore Ross McCoy, who was at bat when the game was suspended, opened play on Saturday with a sacrifice fly to centerfield, scoring Rivera and giving UWM the 2-0 edge.

ISU answered back in the bottom of the first, as Ryan Anetsberger led off the inning with a home run, and took the lead with four runs in the second at 5-2. After a one-out walk, the Redbirds loaded the bases with back-to-back singles, and Anetsberger scored a pair with a single. Matt Bolt followed with a two-run double to cap the frame's scoring.

Milwaukee made it 5-3 in the third on Rivera's second RBI double of the game. Graff had opened the inning with a single and Rivera stroked a double to left center for UWM's third run of the game.

Illinois State and UWM traded runs in the fourth and fifth innings. After allowing one run in the fourth, the Panthers struck back courtesy of a Graff double. Two batters later senior Charlie Reschke singled, scoring Graff.

Aaron Sorenson (4-2) went eight innings in the start for UWM, scattering 10 hits and six runs for the win. The junior righthander struck out seven and walked one in picking up his team-high fourth win of the season. Junior Jed Dolske pitched a perfect ninth, striking out one, for his second save of the campaign.

For Illinois State, Matt Fowles got the start, but was relieved by Saturday's scheduled starter, Dan Frega (2-5), when play resumed today. Frega absorbed the loss, providing five innings of relief, surrendering five runs, two earned, on the day.

Game two of the series follows this game, and is expected to start at 2:40 p.m. The series concludes on Sunday with a 1 p.m. match up.