May 21, 2005

Box Score - YSU 1, UWM 0
Box Score - YSU 5, UWM 4 (8 innings)

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Junior Rick Cavaiani allowed just one unearned run and scattered four hits in game one, but it was not enough, as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team was swept in a doubleheader by Youngstown State, Saturday afternoon in Youngstown, Ohio. The Panthers fell 1-0 in the first game, before taking a 5-4 loss in extra innings in game two.

With the sweep, the Penguins (28-24, 10-5 Horizon) clinched the second seed and a first round bye for next week's Horizon League Tournament. Milwaukee (21-29, 11-8 Horizon) has earned the third seed and will play No. 6 Butler on Wednesday, May 25, at 3 p.m.

An unearned run in the first inning of game one proved to be the difference in game one, as Cavaiani (2-8) suffered a tough luck loss. The right-hander went the distance, striking out four and walking two. His counterpart, Andy Svitak, allowed just two UWM hits for the win. While striking out eight, he walked five to move to 5-0 on the season.

Brandon Caipen singled with one out in the opening frame and advanced to third on an error. Justin Banks singled in Caipen with a single up the middle before Cavaiani retired the next two batters.

After tying the score in in the sixth, YSU scored the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the eighth for the 5-4 win. Sean Lucas was hit by a pitch to start the eighth and moved to second on a sac bunt. After moving to third on a single, he scored the deciding run with a sac fly.

The offense clicked out of the gates in game two, scoring twice in the first innings and building a 4-1 lead after two and a half innings. Junior Mike Goetz walked to lead off the game and he was followed by a single from senior Brooks Graff. After a sacrifice bunt moved both runners up one base, sophomore Rob Brockel scored Goetz with a sacrifice fly and freshman Jesse Hart singled up the middle, scoring Graff.

In the third, Goetz led off the inning with another walk and scored when Graff doubled to left-center. He stole third and scored on Hart's sac fly.

Youngstown chipped away at the UWM lead with a single run in the third and another in the fourth to pull within one at 4-3. Dustin Thomas doubled to lead off the sixth and scored on another sac fly to send the game into extra innings.

Junior Korey Keller pitched 5.1 innings, scattering nine hits and four runs in the start. He struck out a pair of Penguin hitters before turning the ball over to Brockel (1-3). The hard-throwing righty pitched the final 2.1 innings, taking the loss, while allowing just one hit and the winning run.

From the plate, Goetz led the way, reaching three times and dropping down a sac bunt in four plate appearances. He scored a pair of runs on two walks and a single and Graff scored the team's other two runs, reaching on a pair of hits.

Both teams return to the field Sunday in the series finale at noon.