April 8, 2006

Box Score: UWM 3; Butler 2
Box Score: UWM 3; Butler 1 (10 innings)

MILWAUKEE - Junior Ross McCoy hit a walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to lead the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team to a 3-1 victory over Butler University at Miller Park on Saturday night. The Panthers (11-13, 4-4 Horizon) used strong pitching performances all day to earn the league sweep over the Bulldogs (12-16, 6-5 Horizon), as they prevailed 3-2 in the opener.

"It was a pleasure to watch this team throw the ball tonight," UWM assistant head coach Scott Doffek said. "Cavvie [Rick Cavaiani] gave us a great start and then Jed Dolske came in and shut the door. It was good to have Aaron Sorenson back as well. For the first time this season, he really looked like himself out there. And I can't say enough about the way Korey Keller came in and controlled the game."

McCoy provided the heroics in the nightcap, sending a two-run shot deep over the wall in right center to make the Panthers a winner.

"You can't beat that," Doffek said. "Especially in a big league park."

The home run made a winner out of senior Korey Keller (2-2). He threw three shutout innings, allowing just two hits while striking out two.

"It was a great feeling," McCoy said about the home run. "They've been telling me to just hit the ball the other way and I was getting frustrated because they were beating me in all the time. [Circling the bases] was the best feeling I ever had."

Senior starter Aaron Sorenson pitched well in the no-decision, throwing seven complete innings, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out eight. His counterpart, Brian Deter of Butler, threw 7.0 innings, allowing one run and finishing with five strikeouts. Josh Vollmer (2-1) took the loss.

McCoy and senior Mike Goetz paced the offense in game two, each finishing 3-for-5 at the plate. Junior Rob Brockel had two safeties as UWM outhit Butler 10-6 in the contest. Tony Barnes had two hits to lead the Bulldogs.

Game one belonged to senior Rick Cavaiani (2-1), who allowed just one earned run in 7.1 innings of work, helping UWM to a win in its home opener for the 12th-straight season. He struck out a career-high nine batters and walked two, scattering five hits. The outing was his third-consecutive strong start, a streak in which he carries a 1.21 ERA in 22.1 innings, with 25 strikeouts and just three walks.

The Panthers jumped out to an early lead in game one, getting two runs in the first inning on three hits. Goetz and sophomore Jesse Hart both doubled, giving UWM runners on second and third. Butler starter Bryan Bokowy (2-1) settled down to strike out the next two, setting the stage for Brockel's two-out, two-RBI single to right field that plated Goetz and Hart.

The score stayed that way until the fourth, when senior Joe Nowicki staked the Panthers to a 3-0 lead with his third home run of the season to deep right field.

The Bulldogs plated an unearned tally in the fifth before getting another in the eighth to chase Cavaiani. Senior Jed Dolske came on in relief with a runner on second base and one out, getting out of the jam in the eighth and pitching a 1-2-3 ninth - including two strikeouts - for his second save of the season.

Hart and Butler's Kyle Cox both had a game-high two hits.

These two teams play game three of the weekend series on Sunday at Henry Aaron Field. First pitch is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.