April 20, 2005

Box Score - Creighton 3, UWM 2
Box Score - Creighton 9, UWM 1

OMAHA, Neb. - Junior Zak Rivera collected three of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team's eight hits on the day as the Panthers dropped both ends of a doubleheader at No. 28 Creighton Wednesday afternoon in Omaha, Neb. UWM (14-17) dropped a close 3-2 game in the opener, while the Bluejays (30-8) won 9-1 in game two.

Game one ended on a controversial call in the bottom of the seventh inning. Creighton loaded the bases with no outs against starter sophomore Mike Rauwerdink. With the score tied at 2-2, Rob Brockel relieved Rauwerdink and induced a ground ball to a drawn in infield. Shortstop Steve Sanfilippo fielded the ball and threw home for the force, but the umpire ruled catcher Jeremy Wilson was not on the plate, allowing the game-winning run to score.

The Bluejays had gotten on the board first with a single run in the opening frame before UWM tied the game on an RBI double by senior Charlie Reschke in the second. Junior Joe Nowicki singled to extend his team-best hitting streak to 13 games, and scored on Reschke's two-base hit.

Rivera, who also had a double in the game, put the Panthers ahead with a home run in the fourth inning. It was his fourth home run of the season, and third in four games.

Milwaukee got from a strong performance from Rauwerdink (0-3). The righty went six innings, allowing just five hits, three runs and striking out two.

In game two, the Bluejays jumped on UWM for three runs in the first and third innings to build a 6-0 lead. The Panthers battled back for a run in the fourth, but it was all the offense they could muster. Freshman Jesse Hart walked, and after Rivera's second double of the day, scored on a sacrifice fly by Nowicki.

Junior Leroy Pederson (0-1) got the start for Milwaukee, allowing just three hits in 2.1 innings, but surrendered six runs via five walks. Junior Rick Cavaiani threw 2.2 innings, allowing just four hits and two unearned runs, while classmate Jed Dolske pitched the sixth.

Nowicki's 13-game hitting streak was snapped with a hitless second game, while freshman Grant Berkovitz in game two and junior Mike Goetz in game one collected the only other Milwaukee hits on the day.

UWM returns to action this weekend (April 22-24) with a four-game league series with Cleveland State at Henry Aaron Field. The Panthers and Vikings kick off the series on Friday at 7 p.m.