April 8, 2005

Box Score

MILWAUKEE, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team scored two runs in the eighth inning to rebound from a 6-5 deficit, while junior Aaron Sorenson tied a school record with 13 strikeouts, as the Panthers defeated Butler, 7-6, in the Horizon League season opener for both teams, Friday night at Henry Aaron Field. UWM (9-12, 1-0 Horizon) has now won four-straight games and six of its last seven.

Trailing 6-5, the Panthers rallied with one out as junior Mike Goetz singled and senior Brooks Graff was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. After a double steal, sophomore Rob Brockel stroked a pinch-hit single to left, scoring Goetz and tying the game at 6-6. Senior Charlie Reschke followed with a bloop single to center to score Graff with the winning run.

After surrendering a first-inning run, the Panthers took a 3-1 lead with three runs in the third. Senior Steve Sanfilippo led off with a single and stole second. Goetz reached on an error and, after a ground out, junior Zak Rivera walked to load the base. Reschke scored Sanfilippo with a sacrifice fly. Sophomore Nick Wichser followed with the first of his three hits on the day, an RBI single up the middle. Junior Joe Nowicki then doubled to left, scoring Rivera. Wichser was out at home trying to score from second to end the inning.

That lead was extended to 5-2 after Butler scored once in the top of the fourth and UWM broke through for two in the bottom half of the inning. With two outs, Sanfilippo singled and Goetz walked. Both runners scored when Graff stroked a double down the left field line.

Butler fought back to take the lead with two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. After a Panther error in the fifth, Dale Mueller hit an RBI double and scored two batters later on Joe Dempsey's single. In the sixth, Dustin Bucalo and Alex Rinearson each collected RBI singles to push the Bulldogs ahead, 6-5.

Sorenson (5-2) went eight innings with 13 strikeouts and just one walk to get the win. He scattered 11 hits and allowed four earned runs on the day. Junior Jed Dolske pitched a hitless ninth to pick up the save for the third-straight game. He now has five on the season.

Wichser led the Panther offense, going 3-for-5 with an RBI. Goetz scored three runs in the game and Sanfilippo picked up two hits and scored twice for UWM.

Milwaukee moved to 11-0 in home openers under head coach Jerry Augustine, while the skipper picked up his 298th career win. Augustine needs just two more victories to become the first coach in school history, in any sport, to collect 300 career wins at the Division I level.

UWM and Butler continue their weekend series Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Junior Rick Cavaiani will get the start for Milwaukee in game one, while Craig Costello gets the ball for the Bulldogs. Sophomore Robert Michalkiewicz is set to face Matt Byzet in game two.