May 29, 2005

Box Score

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team allowed three unearned runs in the sixth inning to lose a 6-3 lead and fall to UIC, 9-6, in the championship game of the Horizon League Tournament Sunday afternoon in Indianapolis, Ind. UWM ends its season at 26-31, after forcing a second title game with an 8-4 on Saturday.

UIC scored four runs, just one earned, in the sixth inning to take the lead at 7-6. Bryan Russo had an RBI single to left field for the first run before the Flames capitalized on a passed ball to take the lead. With two outs in the frame, Jeff Gremley struck out, but loaded the bases when he reached on a passed ball. Shane Crowder drew a bases-loaded walk and Larry Gempp Jr. hit a two-run single up the middle.

Milwaukee continued its recent offensive success, scoring six runs over the first two innings. With one out in the opening frame, senior Brooks Graff singled and was followed by a walk to junior Zak Rivera. Senior Blake Kangas then singled to right-center field, scoring Graff. Rivera scored on a wild pitch during the next batter.

In the second, six-straight Panther batters reached with one out on three singles and three more walks. After one-out walks to junior Jeremy Wilson and freshman Grant Berkovitz, UWM scored its first run of the frame when junior Mike Goetz singled to left-center field. Graff then walked and advanced to second on a pair of UIC throwing errors. Berkovitz, who moved to third on Graff's walk, scored. Rivera singled to center, scoring Goetz and Graff and putting Milwaukee ahead, 6-3.

The Flames wasted no time in getting on the board, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first and leaving the opening frame with a 3-2 lead. Gempp hit the first of three-straight singles to load the bases. Gempp scored UIC's first run on a fielder's choice. Mark Hallberg, on a Panther error, and Bart Babineaux, on a sacrifice fly, scored a pair of unearned runs to put the Flames ahead with two outs in the inning.

Junior Rick Cavaiani got the start for UWM, returning on three days rest and pitching 5.2 innings. The right-hander struck out five, walked one, scattered eight hits and allowed just two earned runs in his first action since a league-record 10.2-inning complete game on Thursday. Sophomore Rob Brockel, who tied a league record with two saves in the tournament, pitched the final 2.1 innings of the game. He allowed three hits and two runs for the game.

Nowicki, Berkovitz and senior Charlie Reschke each finished with two hits, as Graff scored twice and Rivera finished with two runs batted in. Nowicki was named to the League All-Tournament team, joining Goetz in the outfield, while Rivera was selected as the DH and Kangas at first base.

League Tournament Stats