April 18, 2006

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team battled back from a four-run seventh inning deficit on Tuesday, defeating UIC by a score of 7-6 in the bottom of the 10th inning on a bases-loaded single off the bat of sophomore Jesse Hart. The Panthers (15-17, 7-8 Horizon) relief pitchers gave up just one hit in 3.2 scoreless innings of work against the Flames (19-14, 11-4 Horizon) to seal the victory.

"We've been on the cusp a few times this year in coming back and winning a ballgame like this," Milwaukee assistant head coach Scott Doffek said. "Where we are, right now emotionally, I think that was huge. We need to really take this and ride it a little bit."

The winning rally started with two outs in the 10th inning. Senior Matt Curran singled up the middle before freshman Dan Buchholz followed suit with a single to right field to put runners on the corners. Senior Mike Goetz was then intentionally walked to load the bases, setting the stage for Hart and a UWM comeback victory. Hart sent a walk-off single into right center over the outstretched arms of the second baseman to plate Curran and make the Panthers a winner.

"It felt great," Hart said. "I was having kind of a rough day at the plate ... kind of out in front of everything. I looked for a pitch, he gave it to me and I hit it."

With the game tied 2-2 in the top of the seventh, UIC broke it open with a four-run inning, getting five hits in the frame, including a two-run home run from centerfielder Larry Gempp, Jr. that snapped the 2-2 deadlock.

Milwaukee battled back immediately, getting two in its half of the seventh on an RBI-double from Hart and a run-scoring ground ball.

Senior Jed Dolske then retired the Flames in order in the eighth before Milwaukee pulled within one on a sacrifice fly from sophomore Grant Berkovitz. Freshman Tim Patzman started things in the ninth inning with a single down the left field line and would come around to score on a walk, sacrifice bunt and fielder's choice to tie the game.

The Panther relievers were the difference, as Dolske (no hits or runs in 2.0 innings), freshman Tim Hoy, senior Leroy Pederson and junior Kelby Mack (2-2) [one hit in a scoreless inning] kept UIC in check after senior Rick Cavaiani struck out five in 6.1 innings of work.

"The bullpen - I can't say enough about them," Doffek said. "Jed [Dolske] came in and did a nice job, Tim Hoy came in as a left-handed set-up man and then Kelby [Mack] did a good job holding them where they were."

UWM tagged Adam Worthington (3-1) with the loss. He was one of five pitchers for UIC, who also brought in regular starters Joe Skinner and Zach Peterson to try and close the game in the ninth.

Hart paced Milwaukee's offense with three hits, part of a 3-for-5, 2-RBI day as the hero. Curran (2-for-5) was the only other Panther with more than one hit. Gempp, Jr. finished 3-for-4 for UIC, with teammates Ben Trotter and Jon Brown also chipping in three hits each.

The Panthers are off until the weekend, heading to Ohio for a weekend series with Cleveland State. The two teams open the action with a doubleheader on Saturday, starting at 1 p.m.