April 29, 2006

Box Score: UWM 6; Wright State 3
Box Score: UWM 3; Wright State 4

MILWAUKEE - Junior Ross McCoy hit a three-run home run to back the pitching of senior Rick Cavaiani on Saturday, as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team won game one of a doubleheader 6-3 against Wright State at Henry Aaron Field. The Panthers (21-19, 11-10 Horizon) had their six-game winning streak snapped in the second game, as the Raiders (22-19, 13-11 Horizon) held on for a 4-3 victory.

Cavaiani improved his record to 5-1 in the opener in winning his fourth-straight decision, allowing three runs in 8.1 innings of work. He started strong, allowing just one hit in facing the minimum through the first five innings of the game. He finished with five strikeouts and one walk. Senior Jed Dolske came on to close the game for his fifth save of the season.

UWM broke open a scoreless contest in the third when senior Mike Goetz scored on a single off the bat of senior Joe Nowicki. After senior Zak Rivera singled, McCoy emptied the bases with his team-leading ninth home run of the season.

The Panthers would push the lead to 5-0 on a Rivera RBI-single in the fifth before the Raiders got to Cavaiani for two runs in the seventh.

The offense pounded out 13 hits in the game, led by three each from Rivera (3-for-3) and Nowicki (3-for-4). McCoy, Goetz and senior Matt Curran all had two each.

It was Rivera again in the second game, as his two-run home run in the sixth inning made it a one-run game, cutting the lead to 4-3 on the scoreboard. But that was all the closer Milwaukee would get, as Wright State's Joe Smith pitched three innings for his league-leading 10th save of the season. The Panthers put runners on base in the seventh and eighth, but were unable to get the equalizer pushed across.

Rivera and Nowicki each had three hits in the nightcap, giving the duo six each on the day. Goetz had two more singles to extend his current hitting streak to 20 games. No other player in the UWM line-up had a hit. For WSU, Brian Shoup was 2-for-2 and Ross Oeder also had two hits.

On the mound, junior starter Mike Rauwerdink (4-3) took the loss for UWM, allowing all four runs - three earned - in six innings of work. He struck out five and walked one in the game. For the Raiders, Chris Snyder (3-5) earned the win, helping his team avoid the weekend sweep with seven strikeouts and no walks in six complete innings.

Milwaukee is back in action when they continue the homestand with a non-conference contest against Northern Illinois on Tuesday. Game time against the Huskies is scheduled for a 3 p.m. start at Henry Aaron Field.