April 16, 2006

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team used a three-run eighth inning to cut its deficit to one run, only to see Youngstown State scored four of its own in the ninth to prevail 12-8 on Sunday at Henry Aaron Field. The Panthers (14-17, 6-8 Horizon) brought the tying run to the plate with one out on the ninth, but YSU reliever Ryan Sellman came on to close out the victory for the Penguins (14-21, 6-8 Horizon).

Milwaukee outhit Youngstown State 18-to-14 on the day, but left 12 runners on base and managed just one two-out RBI.

Down 8-4 in the eighth, senior Matt Curran hit a home run off the scoreboard in right center with one out to start a Milwaukee rally. Freshman Dan Buchholz followed with a single and scored on senior Mike Goetz's double. Goetz later scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-7 on the scoreboard.

But the Penguins battled right back, plating four runs in the top of the ninth on three hits, with the big one coming in the form of a bases-clearing double off the bat of J.D. Hannon to push the lead back to 12-7.

UWM wouldn't go away, scoring a run in the ninth and loading the bases to bring the tying run to the plate. Sellman came on for the save, getting Goetz to foul out and sophomore Jesse Hart to ground into a fielder's choice to end the game.

Milwaukee jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first on junior Ross McCoy's sixth home run of the season. The Panthers pushed their advantage to 3-0 on an RBI-single from Buchholz in the second before Youngstown State got two back in the third on a two-run home run from Brandon Caipen.

YSU took the lead for good in the fifth, scoring five runs on five hits, with Caipen clearing the bases with a three-run double.

Goetz and junior Rob Brockel paced the Panther attack with three hits apiece, while McCoy, Buchholz, sophomore Grant Berkovitz and seniors Joe Nowicki, Zak Rivera and Matt Curran all had two. Caipen finished 5-for-6 with six RBI to lead the Penguins.

Chuck Schiffhauer (3-1) earned the win, going 6.2 innings in allowing four runs while striking out four. UWM starter Robert Michalkiewicz (1-5) took the loss, allowing seven earned runs in 5.1 innings of work.

Milwaukee returns to the field on Tuesday, hosting UIC in a single game at Henry Aaron Field. First pitch against the Flames is set for 3 p.m.